Apple-Cheddar Quinoa Muffins

In this savory quinoa muffin recipe, grated apple adds moisture, quinoa adds protein and sharp Cheddar cheese makes these healthy muffins a perfect pairing for soups and stews. To make these quinoa muffins gluten-free, use a gluten-free flour blend in place of the whole-wheat flour.

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa flour (see Tips)
• 1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour (see Tips) or gluten-free flour blend
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk (see Tips)
• 1 cup grated peeled apple
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives or scallion greens
• 1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, divided

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 °F. Coat a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray or line with paper liners and spray the liners.
2. Whisk quinoa flour, whole-wheat flour (or gluten-free flour blend), baking powder, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Whisk eggs, buttermilk, apple, oil and chives (or scallions) in a medium bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Add half the cheese and stir just until the dry ingredients are moistened; do not overmix. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.
3. Bake the muffins until golden brown and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before serving.

Make Ahead Tip: Individually wrap in plastic and freeze airtight for up to 1 month. To reheat frozen muffins, wrap in a paper towel and microwave on High for 30 to 60 seconds.

Equipment: Muffin tin with 12 (1/2-cup) cups

Tips:

• Look for quinoa flour in the baking section or near gluten-free flours. To make your own, grind whole grains of quinoa into a powder in a clean coffee grinder.
• Whole-wheat pastry flour is milled from soft wheat and contains less gluten than regular whole-wheat. Both flours provide the nutritional benefits of whole grains. Find them in large supermarkets, natural-foods stores and online at bobsredmill.com and kingarthurflour.com. Store in the freezer.
• No buttermilk? You can make “sour milk” as a substitute: mix 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar into 1 cup nonfat milk; let stand for about 10 minutes before using so the acid can sour the milk.

Storage smarts: For long-term freezer storage, wrap your food in a layer of plastic wrap followed by a layer of foil. The plastic will help prevent freezer burn while the foil will help keep off-odors from seeping into the food.