Phase 1 (or 2) Bean Muffin Summarized

[recipelover]

We have just gone back on SB to loose some extra pounds. This is my "go to" recipe so we can have muffins in Phase 1 (or P2) and it also gives me something else to have for breakfast along with some yogurt instead of eggs. If you have never tried these, you need to know that the texture is a little different than a bakery muffin. But with the changes I have made (and also others) they aren't bad. I think the key is to add flavorings to offset the bean taste. I am also including the Black Bean Brownie recipe that I also make all the time. We have one for an afternoon tea or coffee break.

Major point: Store these in the freezer (as I always do) for long term or in the refrigerator for short term. They should not be stored on the counter.

Just some bean information:
15-oz can beans = 1 1/2 cooked beans, drained
1 pound dry beans = 6 cups cooked beans, drained
1 pound dry beans = 2 cups dry beans
1 cup dry beans = 3 cups cooked beans, drained

Basic Sweet Bean Muffin [my version] This is not my favorite version--it is just the basic one from where I start

1 can Great Northern or Cannelini beans, drained, rinsed well, drained
4 large eggs (I now use one whole egg and 4 egg whites for less cholesterol)
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon (or mixture of pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon)
Optional: I also added a few grinds of freshly grated nutmeg
1 tsp. vanilla or other extracts
2 T. olive oil
3/4 c. Splenda
chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans, or almonds)
(my new addition: 1/4 c. flaxmeal/ground flaxseed or 1/4 c. almond meal/flour)

My mixing method: I put the one whole egg and 2 egg whites in a blender. Then I add the drained/rinsed beans, the Splenda, the spices, vanilla, the oil and then other 2 egg whites. (If using all whole eggs, put 2 in first and then the other two at the end) I process the whole mixture using a rubber spatula to help out the blender. I baked them at 350 for about 25-30 min (until toothpick inserted comes out very clean). The original recipe said 400, but I forgot and used 350. It worked out well anyway.

About the flaxmeal addition: my favorite addition to any of the bean muffin or brownie recipes to make them less moist and they even hold together better it also makes them even more nutritious, but you need to count it toward your nut treat for the day. But it is still a Phase 1 addition. Note: 1/4 cup = 4 T. (divide the amount by the number of muffins you make to find out just how much is in each muffin for the allotment) I think that the small amount in each muffin is minimal.

I only store these in the freezer and just take one out when I want one to eat.

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

1 can Great Northern or Cannelini beans, drained, rinsed well, drained
4 large eggs
dash of salt (like pinch or omit)
1 tsp. baking powder
1 envelope True Lemon (new dried packets of real lemon juice/see below)
1/2 tsp. lemon extract
some freshly grated lemon peel (maybe 1 T.)
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 T. olive oil or canola oil
3/4 c. Splenda
1 tsp. poppy seeds
(for better texture, add 1/4 c. flaxmeal or 1/4 c. almond meal/flour)
(if in Phase 2, can add 2 T. whole wheat pastry flour)

What is True Lemon? see http://www.truelemon.com


Banana nut--add some banana extract and walnuts or pecans
Maple Walnut--add some maple extract and walnuts
Peanut--Watkins peanut butter extract and chopped peanuts (maybe you could add about 1/4 c. real peanut butter instead) Just remember then to count it in your nut allowance.

Vanilla Rum Chocolate Chip Muffins, P1

1 can Great Northern or Cannelini beans, drained, rinsed well, drained
4 large eggs
dash of salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. rum extract
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 T. olive oil
3/4 c. Splenda
chopped pecans or walnuts
mini semisweet chocolate chips
(for better texture, add 1/4 c. flaxmeal or 1/4 c. almond meal/flour)
(if in Phase 2, can add 2 T. whole wheat pastry flour)

Blend all ingredients except the nuts and chips until well blended; stir in (not blend) the nuts. Pour into muffin pan (I got about 8 muffins); sprinkle a few chocolate chips over the top. I baked them at 375 for about 25-30 min (until toothpick inserted comes out very clean).

Orange Apricot/Cranberry Muffins (just barely phase 2 because of the dried fruit)

1 can Great Northern or Cannelini beans, drained, rinsed well, drained
4 large eggs
dash of salt (less than 1/4 tsp.)
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. orange extract
about 1 T. grated orange rind
few grinds of freshly grated nutmeg
1 tsp. vanilla
2 T. olive oil
3/4 c. Splenda
cut up slivered almonds
a few chopped dried apricots (or dried cranberries or cherries--a few pieces in each muffin isn't really very much)
(for better texture, add 1/4 c. flaxmeal or 1/4 c. almond meal/flour)
(if in Phase 2, can add 2 T. whole wheat pastry flour)

Blend all ingredients except the nuts and fruit until well blended; stir in (not blend) the nuts and fruit. Pour into muffin pan (I got about 8 muffins). I baked them at 375 for about 25-30 min (until toothpick inserted comes out very clean).

Raspberry Almond Muffins, P2 again because of the dried fruit

1 can Great Northern or Cannelini beans, drained, rinsed well, drained
4 large eggs
dash of salt (less than 1/4 tsp.)
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. McCormick raspberry extract (new in stores)
1/2 tsp. almond extract
few grinds of freshly grated nutmeg
1 tsp. vanilla
2 T. olive oil
3/4 c. Splenda
cut up slivered almonds
a few chopped dried cranberries or cherries (a few pieces in each muffin isn't really very much)
(for better texture, add 1/4 c. flaxmeal or 1/4 c. almond meal/flour)
(if in Phase 2, can add 2 T. whole wheat pastry flour)

Blend all ingredients except the nuts and fruit until well blended; stir in (not blend) the nuts and fruit. Pour into muffin pan (I got about 8 muffins). I baked them at 375 for about 25-30 min (until toothpick inserted comes out very clean).

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Now my new discovery: I now use my new muffin top pan to make a batch of these. They are like eating cookies and I love them even better. They just end up seeming "firmer" and the nuts/or other additions are in every bite. When I ate the regular ones, I ended up breaking off the bottom of the muffin (which always seemed a little more spongy) and eating that first; then savoring the top of the muffin where the nuts etc. ended up.

The muffin top pan was a little more expensive, but if you can afford one, give it a try. I bought mine at Bed Bath & Beyond and used a 20% off coupon to save a little.

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I am adding this here because it is really a bean muffin, but becomes a brownie when baked in a square pan. You can also bake them in the muffin top pans and they are just like eating a chocolate cookie muffin style.

For those of you who are new to the board, here is the brownie recipe. I always have some of these in the freezer and we have them often with our afternoon coffee or tea on weekends.

Chocolate Bean Brownies, all phases [recipelover's version]

1 14 1/2 - 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed (can also use cannelini or great northern instead)
4 large eggs (I now 4 egg whites and 1 whole egg for less cholesterol]
3 T. oil [you can use just 2 T. if you wish]
scant 3/4 c. bulk Splenda
3 T. cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. of expresso powder (can omit)
1/4 c. flaxmeal (ground flaxseed) or ground almond meal (my optional new addition)
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla
(1 tsp. Watkins caramel extract makes a great addition or 1/2 tsp. almond extract)
Stir in or sprinkle over in the pan:
chopped walnuts
dark choc chips (probably should wait until Phase 2)[or sugar-free chocolate chips]

Because black beans are a little more dense and my blender cannot easily blend them well, this is how I add the ingredients to make it easier: 2 eggs, the beans, Splenda, oil, cocoa, espesso pdr, baking pdr, vanilla/almond extracts, then the other 2 eggs. Blend until pureed (may need to stir it every now and then--I use a rubber spatula to help it along a little. I stir the mix while it is blending, but am careful not to get my spatula near the bottom).

Pour into a sprayed 8 x 8 cake pan. Bake at 350 for about 30 min.

NOTE: I tried these in my Cuisinart food processor and didn't like the texture of the beans. They didn't seem to get "ground" enough. I prefer the blender!

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You then need to read the thread that I made all about the various desserts that I have made with bean muffins as the cake/base.

Here is the Bean Muffin Tortes link of the recipes I made from this muffin:
viewtopic.php?t=66717

Blend; pour into muffin tin; bake at 350 for about 15-20 min. or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. They don't take as long to bake.

[recipelover]

And, here is a summary of other posters have made or changed:

Original non-sweet version--In my (recipelover's) opinion, 1 tsp. salt is too much since canned beans are already salted. I would use other seasonings instead, and definitely for better taste.

Mock cornbread [posted by rg4325]
(taken from the South Beach paid site)

1 can great northern beans drained and rinsed
4 eggs
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
2 T. olive oil
1/3 C sugar substitute
*the original recipe called for 1 T. cumin and 1tsp. Tabasco but I omitted it b/c that was for the mexican casserole.

Combine all ingredients in the blender and process until smooth. Pour in a 11x7 pan and bake at 400 until toothpick is clear when inserted in the center (25 min in my crazy oven.)Works well as muffins too!

[from lisam2] I absolutely love them. I have cooked it with cumin, jalapenos, onion, lf cheese.
one day I was out of the great northern beans and used garbonzo beans (chick peas) instead; I've never gone back to the northern beans. I guess I like the garbanzo's better.

[from me]: I don't make the non-sweet version, but if you do you could add the following to help hide the egg taste:
--add some crushed garlic and some grated parmesan cheese
--add some grated onion pulp and its juice and add some chopped fresh chives
--can also add your favorite seasoning herbs but be careful of seasoning salts since the beans have salt in them. A little would be okay though.
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I have a link above for the tortes/desserts I make with this bean muffin recipe, but here is one from another member:

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Dessert [posted by Angedf2]

1 can--great northern beans
4 eggs
1/2 tsp baking powder
1tlb vanilla
3/4 cp splenda
2tlb of canola oil or smart balance
4 tlb peanut butter, I used chunky carb smart

Blend in blender until smooth
add 1/4 cp dark chocolate chips
Bake in an 8X8 pan for 25 min at 350.
Let cool for about 10 min, poke holes in top.
Spread sf,ff banana pudding on top
Then Cool whip on top--use your judgment, I found the new sf kind
Chill in fridge.

this is so good it is nuts!!! My husband just about ate the entire dish

[ami]

Recipelover,
Thank you so much for this summary. It makes much easier to find those recipes!

[recipelover]

Thanks ami. I made the Lemon Poppy Seed ones yesterday and decided to bring this great Phase 1 recipe back into focus. I am surprised at the strange combinations I end up trying sometimes with all the different extracts.

Here is the list of extracts that I have and try using not only in the bean muffins, but also the One Muffin 7 ways:

Here is some of the one's I have in my pantry:
maple extract
lemon or orange extract
banana extract
almond extract
french vanilla extract
cherry extract
coconut extract
strawberry extract (don't have it but I have seen it)
rum extract
vanilla butter & nut extract

And, from Watkins, I found two favorites:
Caramel extract (I use this one a lot, especially in the black bean brownies)
Peanut butter extract (I made peanut butter bean muffins with it. I even sprinkled some finely chopped peanuts over the top. By using the extract, I can save my nut allowance for real nuts later in the day. And, in Phase 2, you could add some chocolate chips for a real treat)

[southbeachergal]

Thank you so much for these recipes. I keep hearing about the bean muffins; gotta try them now!

[Irrel]

I made the lemon poppy seed muffins and they were delicious It really helps my P1 need for something that tastes like bread, especially at breakfast!

[recipelover]

I am glad you enjoyed them. They are actually my favorite too. I always add almonds and to me they satisfy my "muffin" craving and the lemon extract and lemon peel/True Lemon seem to give it a better taste too. (and I love sliced/slivered almonds in these)

[karensue]

Does anyone know the calorie count of these? Would just one muffin be a serving? TIA

[recipelover]

Just bumping this up for new forum users. I still makes these muffins all the time because they make a great fiber/protein rich muffin to have with my morning or afternoon coffee.

[Belladonna Wexhome]

I just started phase 1 a week ago and these are a life saver when you craving the FEELING of something carby. I reduced the amount of splenda to 1/2 cup, added butter extract and garlic powder and omg, the taste of them along with some steak with steamed asparagus and grilled tomatoes was amazing. THANK YOU