savory sweet potato quinoa muffins

With only a few days left to the start of the holiday weekend, I should have the usual dishes that  are the staple of the Thanksgiving dinner but oddly enough, I have breakfast on my mind. But why not, breakfast needs a little love too during this special time and I have it all sorted out for you. 

I’m more of a savory breakfast type of guy and a huge fan of any baked good or pastry that might have some savory component to it. These quinoa flour muffins are easy to make, they’re loaded with sweet potatoes and cheese packed with a hint of bright turmeric and seasoned with a little dash of garam masala. Slap a warm muffin with a little salted butter and I’d say you’re good to go this week. I was tempted to add a little onion or garlic to these guys but that could be tricky way to start the day with all those potential fiery breath issues! 

Happy weekend!

 Here are some of my kitchen tips that you might find helpful when preparing these muffins,

• You can make you own muffin cup holders using regular parchment paper. Cut out twelve 6 inch squares of parchment paper (for a standard 12 cup muffin pan) and place each square in the center of the muffin pan. Using your hands, press the paper down in the center of the muffin well to create a cup. When you fill the cups with the batter make sure the paper cup sinks and touches the metal pan
• You could play around with the type of cheese, parmesan or gruyere might also work here.
• Once the batter is completely mixed, move quickly and get the muffin pan filled up and in the oven. 
• You can bump the heat up in these muffins by adding a little more freshly chopped green or red thai chili peppers. 

Here are some fun links that, I’ve been thinking about all week. Some Thanksgiving themed and others just simply delicious!

• ginger and apple crumble pie  how heavenly does that sound!
• a pumpkin slab pie!
• my chinese 5-spice flavored sweet potato pie 
• A Thanksgiving game plan from the folks at the Salt. 
• Kladdkaka – a gorgeous Swedish Chocolate Cake

savory sweet potato quinoa muffins

yields: one dozen standard muffins

ingredients 

3 large eggs

1 packed cup (4 ounces) of shredded sweet potato, raw

1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

1 cup (4 5/8 ounces) quinoa flour 

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon garam masala

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried red chili flakes

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup plain unsweetened greek yogurt, lightly whipped

2 tablespoons melted butter, unsalted

1. Place a wire rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350F.  Line a standard 12 cup muffin pan with parchment paper or muffin cups. 

2. Place the eggs in a large mixing bowl and whisk for about 4-5 minutes using an electric mixer on high speed until they have almost doubled in volume. 

3. In a small bowl, mix the sweet potatoes and cheddar together and keep aside.

4. In a medium sized bowl add all the ingredients from the quinoa flour to the baking soda and dry whisk until combined. 

5. Add half of the flour mix to the eggs and whisk by hand, until almost combined. Add the yogurt and the melted butter and whisk by hand for one minute, then add the rest of the flour mix and whisk until completely combined. Fold in the sweet potato and half of the cheddar with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon. 

6. Divide the batter equally between the 12 muffin cup holders in the prepared pan. Top each of the muffins with the rest of the cheddar (divide the cheddar up equally between the 12 muffins) Bake at 350F for about 20-25 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through during baking. The muffins are cooked when the tops are golden brown and the centers have risen and firm and spongy to touch. Remove the pan from the oven and allow to cool in the pan. Serve warm with butter.