Sunday Brunch Muffins

 It has become a tradition in our household to have muffins for brunch on Sundays. The ingredients in these muffins can be improvised . I never panic if I've run out of one type of flour or fruit, there is always a substitute.  

Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients

2 ½  cups flour (1 cup spelt, 1/2 cup each of almond flour, oat flour and millet or teff flour)

1 teaspoon cardamom

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

¾ cup brown sugar

2 eggs lightly beaten

1 1/3 cups butter milk

1/3 cup oil

1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

dash of almond extract

1 cup fresh or dried fruits 

Walnut topping:

3 table spoons room temperature butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tea spoons flour

1 teaspoon cardamom 

2/3 cups pecans or walnuts

Directions:

Make the topping: ½ cup dark brown sugar, 2 table spoon flour, 3 table spoons butter, 1 tea spoon cardamom. Mix. Add the chopped walnuts.

Preheat oven to 375 F.  Oil muffin tin. Mix the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet in a second bowl, then combine them with a few swift strokes. Do not beat the batter. Add 1 cup of fruits. Scoop the batter into the tins. Top with the Walnut topping. Bake about 30 minutes in the lower part of the oven.

Variations:

Mix different kind of flours for a total of 2 1/2 cups.

Add 1/3 cup of flax seeds.

Add grated carrots. I like to use the pulp after making juice.

Replace cardamom with cinnamon or other spices of your liking.

Add grated lemon or orange peel.

Use any kinds of fruits. I like blueberries and raspberries, or a ripe pear and cranberries.
Use yoghurt or kefir instead of buttermilk.

This recipe was inspired by Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison.