Quick sugar fix

Muffins, a type of quick breads, are easy and quick to make. They can also either be sweet or savory, which in certain ways are convenient. Whenever being super busy, I normally choose to bake muffins for quick and healthy snacks.

My taste for muffins (and cake, too) is very simple – something moist, soft and fruity. The more I can use fruits and veggies in my bakes, the happier I am! Perhaps it makes me feel healthier and less guilty? But really, who would want to resist something packed with all the natural goodness with minimum guilt?

Anyway, these are the latest batches of my muffin bakes – Sweet Potatoes and Date Muffins. I modified the “banana and date bread” recipe from Donna Hay to create this version. Two reasons – to use up my leftover sweet potatoes and to avoid spending too much money on bananas! Can you believe the price of banana here in Australia is still $AUD12/kg? Can’t forget the days when the price is only $4-5/kg (*sigh!*).

I quite like the taste of these muffins. They are moist and have the warm tones of cinnamon and nutmeg… I will definitely make these again, but using different ingredients like pumpkins or bananas (!) And I may reduce the quantity of butter used next time as well!

SWEET POTATOES AND DATE MUFFINS

Recipe adapted from “Banana and Date Bread” from Donna Hay magazine October 2006. I reduced the recommended sugar by half.

Ingredients (enough for 12 good size muffins)

125g unsalted butter, softened

½ cup brown sugar

2 eggs

11/2 cups plain flour, sifted

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

11/2 cups mashed sweet potatoes

¼ cup honey

1 cup chopped date (soak in brewed tea to reduce the sweetness if you wish)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 160C
2. Cream butter and sugar. Gradually add in eggs and beat well.
3. Fold through the sifted dry ingredients, stir well to combine
4. Stir in sweet potatoes, dates and honey.
5. Spoon into muffin pans/cases
6. Bake for around 20-25 mins or until cooked when tested.