Today marks my third Valentine’s day as a married woman, and my first in our new apartment in the new city of Dallas. My husband, Garth, left this morning for his second day of work.
Yesterday, I considered how to mark this holiday– one, admittedly, we have rarely regarded as an actual cause for celebration but, rather, a good general reminder to just be perennially loving people and tidy roommates. This year is different. We’re still living out of suitcases and we know that, while I’m still living in New York and will return there soon, our time together is precious and little. I saw it as a good excuse to unfurl the bubble wrap and break out the surly, scarred muffin that my parents recently handed down to our odd, but hopeful, scene.
My motivation to bake, however, was inspired by a dear friend, Sarah Copeland, who loaned me one of her beautiful recipes and has allowed me to pass along to you. The cookbook she has been working on for many months now and poured her incredible thought and talent into is now on the shelves, and she asked me to pass along my thoughts here. Fittingly, her book is called The Newlywed Cookbook, and is a collection of recipes (and reasons) to cook and celebrate with the one you love. (She has offered a cookbook for me to give away to one of you– send me a direct message on Twitter, @spoonfulofcake, and I’ll randomly select a winner after the weekend.)
Her “Rise and Shine Muffins” (of which my sampling is pictured here) were delicious, simple and healthful. Full of grated vegetables, nuts, spices and just a touch of sweetness, the muffins were a gorgeous– practical– expression of this new life on this new Valentine’s day: comforting, nourishing and thoughtful.
We ate them with soft, fig-sweetened goat cheese from a nearby farm at our dinner table, knees touching and mouths full before the day began.
….
- recipe reprinted with permission from Sarah Copeland and Chronicle Books, cover photo by Sara Remington -
Rise & Shine Muffins
{a wholesome start} Sometimes you need a little morning magic. Start the day with one of these big beauties, bursting with everything you need to jump start your morning and keep you going until lunch. This muffin is hearty, slightly sweet, and so delicious you’ll never complain about eating your vegetables again.
Makes 12 large muffins
1/2 cup/85 g raisins
2 cups/255 g white whole-wheat/wholemeal flour or all-purpose/plain flour
1 cup/200 g packed dark brown sugar
2 tsp baking soda/bicarbonate of soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt
4 medium carrots, grated {about 2 cups/200 g}
1/2 medium zucchini/courgette, grated {about 1 cup/100 g}
1/2 cup pecans/55 g chopped, plus more for garnish
1/3 cup pine nuts/40 g, plus more for garnish
3 large eggs
2/3 cup/165 ml grapeseed or vegetable oil
1/3 cup/75 ml buttermilk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Butter or goat cheese
Preheat the oven to 375˚F/190°C/gas 5. Lightly coat a standard 12-cup muffin tin with vegetable-oil cooking spray. Cut parchment/baking paper into twelve 6-by-6-in/15-by-15-cm squares and tuck into the muffin-tin cups with the edges sticking up {this little trick gives muffins more room to climb high, so they look more like bistro muffins when you serve them.}, or line with paper cupcake liners. Put the raisins in a small bowl, cover with hot water, and set aside to plump.
Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda/bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt in a large bowl. Stir in the carrots, zucchini/courgette, pecans, and pine nuts. In a separate large bowl, add the eggs, oil, buttermilk, and vanilla and whisk until well combined.
Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir together with a wooden spoon or spatula until just moistened. Drain the raisins and stir them in.
Drop about 1/2 cup/120 ml batter in each muffin cup, filling each cup a little over half way. Sprinkle a few pecans or pine nuts or both on the top of each muffin.
Bake until the muffins are evenly golden brown and spring back when touched lightly, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool in the tin until easy to handle, about 5 minutes. Turn out onto a rack.
Serve warm or at room temperature with butter or goat cheese. Peel back the paper and indulge! Keep extras covered in an airtight container overnight or wrapped well {after cooling completely}and stored in the freezer for a quick breakfast any day of the week.
