Muffins - Soaked method 

Soaking to improve both health and flavor! These are my ideas so I don't forget all the combinations. Makes 20-24 muffins or 15 larger ones.

-Fresh Cranberry
Use 4 oz coconut oil in place of butter
It allows a cleaner fruit taste to come through.
Process 12 oz fresh or frozen fresh cranberries through the 'french fry blade' on bosch slicer.
Add the zest from 1 orange.
OR finely dice a whole mandarin orange.
Add a little vanilla too.

-Sliced Apple
Use 4 oz coconut oil in place of butter
It allows a cleaner fruit taste to come through.
Use peeler corer slicer for 3-4 firm apples and slice into 1 inch pieces.
Add 1 t cinnamon and freshly grated nutmeg to the leavenings.
Sometimes add a splash of vanilla.
Poke pecans or walnuts on top of muffins just before baking so they toast as they bake.

Fresh Bartlett Pear-
Mix soaked batter a little stiff as pears are very wet.
2 pears not peeled, diced small, mixed gently in at the end.
Sprinkle chopped almonds on top before baking.

Other ideas:
*spices and currants and chopped dates
*dried apples and toasted walnuts
*crystallized ginger or dates
*just nutmeg is really good too
*put nuts on top of muffins so they stay crispy instead of putting them inside

Sourdough option:
15 oz soft white wheat grain
4 oz sourdough mother dough
1 stick melted unsalted butter
about 2 c milk
Mix together and soak overnight on the counter:
15 oz (3 c flour) whole wheat pastry flour
16 oz (2 c) milk
Batter is somewhat stiff but able to stir comfortably and freely.

Add in morning:
Melt:
4 oz unsalted butter OR tallow
Whip in:
2 eggs
7 oz (1 c) white sugar
OR 3/4 c (9 oz) honey or maple syrup.
Mix together with soaked grain.

Be sure the batter is loose and pleasant but not weak. You may need to add about 1/4 c more flour.

~If batter is too thin, muffins will be wet and taste underdone. If it is too thick they will taste pasty.

Lastly gently stir in:
2 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1 t salt

15 large muffins
20-24 smaller muffins

Bake muffins in an oven preheated to 450* then turned down to convection bake 400* about 12-15 minutes.

-Savory spinach and cheese option
Lower sugar to 1/4 c.
On cookie sheet, with a bit of olive oil, roast a 12 oz bag of baby spinach in the oven as it preheats. Lightly salt it and roast until it is dry. This is the best way to lose the moisture and keep all the spinach flavor without the sog. Chop it after it comes out.
Then use the same cookie sheet to roast a finely minced onion in more olive oil.
Add about 1/2 lb grated (or diced) sharp cheddar cheese.

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