Cranberry Orange Quinoa Muffins

Between working full time, writing thank you notes for my amazing shower, and addressing wedding invitations, I've also been balancing how much I should hangout on the College Cuisiner versus how much I should be developing the new blog.

That’s right. You heard it first. We’re moving!

I hope to go live in a few months, (most likely AFTER the wedding) with an established theme and gorgeous design by the lovely and amazing Jennifer. hint hint. Yet, I want to continue to post at least a little here for all of you if that's agreeable.

Say yes.

With that, I made these Cranberry Orange Quinoa muffins and few weeks ago and was incredibly impressed. It may be passed my amazing tea shower but you can still host one of your own with these scone-like muffins.

I did get the plain Quinoa muffin recipe from Martha Stewart but made them my own with the tart and sweet cranberry orange combination. In my version, these muffins also use whole wheat flour and Turbinado Sugar that I like a lot better. So if anything, these muffins are a little healthy than their coffee shop alternative.

I also like that these muffins are not overly sweet, rather more like one of the traditional fruited scones I ate by the truckloads in England.

All these little babies need is some tea, butter or clotted cream if you have these! They are also very customizable from raisin (sultanas) to blueberry or even cherry basil.

Oh, and here are some sexy more muffin shots, simply because I took so many and couldn't decide:

 Do you like your muffin buttered?

Would you like someone to butter you muffin for you?

Cranberry Orange Quinoa Muffins

(adapted from Martha Stewart)

Makes 8-10 muffins

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa, rinsed and dried (see this for the best fluffy quinoa)

1 ½ cups water (for quinoa)

1/4 cup vegetable oil, with extra for the pan

2 cups all-purpose whole wheat flour, plus more for pan

3/4 cup packed raw Turbinado Sugar (dark brown sugar works too)

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup whole milk

1 large egg

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

½ cup dried cranberries

4 medjool dates, finely chopped

Zest and juice of half a large orange (equaling 1/4 cup)

Note: this is a great recipe for leftover cooked quinoa. Just make sure you have two cups for the recipe. If you have leftover quinoa when making this recipe, save it for another use.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

In a medium pot, toast quinoa  over medium heat for one minute until nutty smelling. Slowly add 1 1/2 cups water to quinoa and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cover.  Cook quinoa for about 15 minutes or until soft and fluffy and water is absorbed. Once taking quinoa off heat, do not open lid for five minutes for fluffiest quinoa. Remove lid and fluff with a fork. Set aside. You will need two cups cooked quinoa.

Meanwhile, brush 8 cups of a standard 12-cup muffin pan with oil, then lightly dust with flour. Then gently tap out excess flour from the pan. 

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, dates, cranberries, and 2 cups cooked quinoa. 

In a small bowl, whisk together oil, milk, egg, orange zest and juice, and vanilla. Add wet mixture to flour mixture, and stir just until combined. 

Then divide batter among the prepared 8 muffin cups.

Bake muffins for 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Be sure not to over bake or muffins will be dry. Cool the muffins in pan for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Serve with your favorite cup of tea, butter or clotted cream!

Muffins can be frozen in a freezer safe plastic bag for up to one month. Simply take out and thaw, then heat up in toaster oven until just warmed.

Love,

The College Cuisiner

Oh, and here is a picture of the cutest Pixie-bob to walk the planet--Liam.