Trail Mix Muffins

Ingredients:
¼ cup Quinoa
2/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2/3 cup all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
½ cup packed dark brown sugar
¼ cup + 2 tablespoons crunchy peanut butter
¼ cup unsalted butter cut into small chunks, plus more for greasing
1 large egg yolk at room temp
1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 c. low-fat milk
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chops 2 large egg whites at room temp

1. Fill a medium saucepan with water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add the
quinoa, reduce heat to low. Simmer until the grains have popped open and appear
translucent, about 12 minutes. Drain the grains in a fine-mesh sieve and rinse
with cool water.
2. Position oven rack in center of oven and heat to 400 degrees. Use a crumpled
sheet of waxed paper to lightly better the wells of a muffin tin.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together both flours and the baking powder, cinnamon
and salt.
4. In a large bowl with a hand mixer, set at medium speed, beat together brown
sugar, peanut butter and butter, scraping down the sides as needed, until smooth
and creamy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the egg yolk and vanilla until smooth.
Then beat in the quinoa. Continue to scrape down the sides as you work. Reduce
the speed to low and gradually add in the milk.
5. With a rubber spatula, fold the flour mixture into the wet ingredients. Next, fold
in the cranberries an chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
6. In a large bowl with a mixer set at high speed and beaters that have been cleaned
and dried (to ensure egg whites whip) beat the egg whites until soft peaks form,
about 2 minutes. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold the egg whites into the
batter.
7. With a large spoon or ice cream scoop, fill each well of the muffin tin three
quarters full with batter.
8. Bake muffins until brown and firm, about 20 minutes, turning the pan halfway
through. Cool them in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool
completely.
– Reprinted from “Family Fun” magazine, October, 2012 issue