Well, I goofed. I created this recipe with my mom with the intention of entering it into a competition. Then today, after testing 3 batches of muffins, re-writing the recipe multiple times and shooting about 46 photos, I realized that I used a type of lentils that wasn’t on the approved list.
Sigh.
So much for that. I might enter another recipe if I can gather enough energy to test recipes again this weekend. I’ve been feeling really tired and overwhelmed lately, and I can’t seem to get back on track. I’m choosing to blame it on the lingering cold grey weather. My brain needs some serious sunshine! It’s supposed to snow tomorrow though, so I don’t think I’ll be seeing any sunshine anytime soon.
We put a lot of time and effort into creating this recipe, so I thought I should still publish it here. We added cooked brown lentils to my mom’s cornbread recipe to make these muffins more hearty. We also added cumin to give it more of a Southwestern flavour. By the second batch we realized that they still needed a little something extra, and I thought that caramelized onions would do the trick. The third batch yielded several moist brown muffins that were earthy, savoury and just a little sweet.
These cornbread muffins pair really well with soups, stews and especially chilli. Or you could eat them with a dab of butter and a couple of slices of cheese (jalapeño havarti!) for a substantial breakfast.
I didn’t include how to cook lentils in my recipe because I think most people know how to do that. If you want proper instructions, the Canadian Lentils website has great tips. I also strongly advise you not to use cupcake/muffin liners in your baking tray, because they will stick to the muffins the way superglue sticks to your fingers. Besides, they’re much tastier when the sides have been able to brown against the hot baking tin. These muffins are best eaten while fresh, but can be stored in the fridge for up to three days.
I hope you try making these muffins, and if you do please let me know how they turn out.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Grease a muffin tin.
- In a large bowl combine the sifted flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cornmeal, cumin and paprika. Mix to combine then stir in the cooked lentils.
- In a second large bowl, whisk the eggs with buttermilk and melted butter.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and gently mix the batter until just combined. Fold in the chopped onions.
- Pour batter into prepared muffin tin. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the muffins are golden on top and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted.
- Serve with a pat of butter, if desired.
Tips & Notes
- Don't use muffin liners for this recipe. The muffins get a nice golden brown crust from sitting directly in the pan.
Delicious! Thanks for posting. Hope you still got another one for the contest!
Nah, I ran out of time. But at least I can share this yummy recipe here 🙂