Mom's Morning Glory Muffins Recipe

By Marlo Colletto (TC3 Farm CSA Member)

A small metal recipe box in green enamel stood on the kitchen counter growing up. It was full of handwritten recipe cards, each stained with errant extracts and gritty in a dusting of dry ingredients, one or two always, inevitably stuck together with something syrupy and sweet. Our pinterest of the day, the little index cards were passed around at family gatherings and requested in attempts to reproduce popular dishes. The best ones though, were full of cross-outs and substitutions, additions and alternatives scribbled in the margins ad-hoc.

I believe it was my aunt Barb who clipped the original Morning Glory Muffin recipe from a Gourmet Magazine issue in the early 80s, but by the time I came into the picture, my mom’s copy in the box on the counter had already undergone many manipulations.

Below is my attempt to combine and recreate the many versions my mom spun the muffins into over the years. Although that original index card is long gone and my mom now gluten free, the lore of her morning glory’s lives on in my sister and me. In that spirit, please improvise at will from the guidelines provided.

Directions

1. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Grease muffin cups (makes approx. one and a half dozen).
3. Mix together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
4. Add carrots/zucchini, apple, blueberries, coconut and nuts. Stir to combine.
5. Place the eggs, oil, and vanilla in a small bowl and whisk well. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just combined.
6. Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling them almost to the brim.
7. Bake the muffins roughly 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of one comes out clean.

Let cool but feel free to eat at least one warm with a pat of butter! Store in an airtight container or freeze for defrosting later.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour of choice (white will work fine but I like to use whole wheat, spelt, or a mix)
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups shredded carrots and/or zucchini
• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
• 1/2 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
• 1 apple - peeled, cored and shredded
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup coconut oil, melted
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract