ABOUT THE RECIPE:
This Cornbread and Sweet Pepper Mini-Muffins will certainly impress. Savory and slightly sweet, these mini jewels pair well with a first course salad or soup, but they work great as breakfast muffins, too. The peppers add a welcome pop of color and taste, while the cornmeal adds a hearty texture.
Makes 12 mini-muffins
INGREDIENTS:
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil or vegan buttery spread, plus more as needed (to coat muffin tin)
1/2 cup finely ground cornmeal, plus more as needed (see note)
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup diced sweet red pepper
1 cup peeled and sliced banana
1/3 cup nondairy milk
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 cup maple syrup
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly coat the cups of a twelve-cup mini-muffin tin with olive oil or vegan buttery spread. Put the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl and stir with a dry whisk to combine. Add the red pepper and stir gently to coat.
Put the banana, nondairy milk, and chili powder in a blender. Process until the mixture is smooth. Pour the banana mixture into the flour mixture and stir until incorporated. Add the maple syrup and stir to incorporate. (If the mixture seems a bit loose, add more cornmeal, 1 scant tablespoon at a time, to achieve a thick batter that holds soft peaks when stirred.
Divide the mixture among the muffin cups. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Put the muffin tin on a wire rack and loosen the sides of each muffin with a knife. Cool for about 10 minutes. Carefully remove the muffins. Serve warm or at room temperature.
NOTE: Make sure to use fine-ground cornmeal, not coarse ground cornmeal, or your muffins will be too tough!