Sweet potatoes were not my responsibility this year, instead, I volunteered to make my stuffing, a shaved brussel sprout salad, cranberries, this tart, and mini-cranberry hand pies.
While the tart was baking in the oven, I decided to roast the one sweet potato I had on hand and 3 purple beets. The oven was already pre heated – time management is the key to life. Don’t you agree? I knew I wanted to make a quinoa and beet salad over the weekend and roasting the beets in advance, stored in a bit of vinaigrette is always a great time saver. The sweet potato, I decided, would be breakfast, “the day after”.
I had found this muffin recipe a few weeks back and experimented by swapping out some of the original ingredients and turned it into a pumpkin-pecan muffin. They were very good. Packing some up for both Levi’s teacher as well as a friend of mine who suddenly lost her husband to a massive heart attack, I was only left with a nibble and a few crumbs. I liked them enough, but felt they needed that WOW factor.
Bittersweet chocolate chips and a sprinkling of streusel topping was just what I was looking for. The WOW factor was achieved and a basic, gluten free muffin base is now happily tucked away in my overflowing recipe binder.
It’s not easy converting traditional favorite recipes into versions that do not contain gluten. However, with lots of experimentation, and many failures, finding that right balance between taste, texture, starch, and proteins is part of the fun.
Smear a pat of organic butter on these hot muffins and pair it with a big mug of hot cocoa. My kids enjoyed their breakfast, in front of the T.V., in their pajamas, and didn’t argue. Not even once. For that, I am grateful!
Streusel Sweet Potato Chocolate Chip Muffins
Ingredients:
For the streusel:
5 ounces | 140 grams | 1 cup white rice flour
1 1/4 ounces | 35 grams | 1/4 cup arrowroot
1 3/4 ounces | 50 grams | 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/8 teaspoon cloves
pinch of nutmeg
3 ounces | 85 grams | 6 tablespoons unsalted, organic butter, melted
1 ounce | 30 grams | 1/4 cup slivered almonds
For the muffins:
4 ounces | 100 grams | 1/2 cup sweet potato puree
4 ounces | 105 grams | 3/4 cup brown rice flour
2 1/2 ounces | 70 grams | 1/2 cup millet flour
2 1/2 ounces | 70 grams | 1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
pinch of grated nutmeg
5 3/4 ounces | 162 grams | 3 large, organic eggs
3.5 ounces | 100 grams | 1/2 cup light brown sugar
1.75 ounces | 50 grams | 1/4 cup organic, pure cane sugar
2 1/2 ounces | 70 grams | 1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
zest of one orange
2 ounces | 55 grams | 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
3 1/2 ounces | 100 grams | 1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners
For the streusel:
Mix all dry ingredients and almonds until combined. Add melted butter and mix gently with a fork. Put in refrigerator until ready to use.
For the muffins:
If you have a ricer, press roasted sweet potato (skin removed) through your ricer.
In a large bowl, whisk brown rice flour, millet flour, almond flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.
In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, 1/2 cup sweet potato puree, sugars, oil, vanilla, and orange zest.
Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients until you no longer see any of the dry ingredients. Add walnuts and chocolate chips.
Using a 1/4 cup ice cream scooper, scoop batter into prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle with streusel topping.
Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. About 18-24 minutes (I rotate the pans top to bottom and front to back half way into the baking). Let cool slightly on a wire rack.
Those that are not eaten on the first day (because that is when they are best) can be frozen and reheated for a weekday morning breakfast. Simply wrap in foil and reheat in your toaster oven for about 10 minutes.
I make a double batch of streusel and stick my leftovers in a freezer safe container for future use (this really does come in handy).
Susan Salzman writes The Urban Baker blog to explore her dedication to good food in the hope of adding beauty to the lives of her family and friends.