Nine Great Muffin Recipes to Bake ASAP

Muffins are one of the great gateways to baking. Even people who don't fancy themselves bakers are inclined to tackle a muffin recipe now and then. These are some long-time favorites. They're worth making, and worth eating. Many of them also freeze reazonably well, although I'm hesitant to type that sentence ;)....A couple tips - don't over mix the batter, or you'll end up with tough muffins. And don't be afraid to experiment with seasonal fruits, and alternative nuts and seeds.

1. Pumpkin Feta Muffins - (101 Cookbooks)
Savory muffin fans, these are absolutely for you. Packed with spinach, feta and Parmesan cheese, black pepper, mustard, and sunflower seeds. They don't disappoint! Get the recipe here.

2. Turmeric Breakfast Muffins - (Green Kitchen Stories)
These are genius. Muffin meets turmeric lassi with(!) a granola top. I mean, just look at the photo. Get the recipe here.

3. Buttermilk Berry Muffins - (101 Cookbooks)
One of my FAVORITE muffins - berry-streaked with sugar-sparkled tops, big flavor, buttermilk tender texture. Get the recipe here.

4. Quinoa Banana Muffins - (Healthy-ish)
These muffins combine the perfect trifecta of banana, blueberry, and quinoa. Honey sweetened with a boost of brown sugar, and made with whole wheat flour, they fit squarely in the healthy-ish category. Get the recipe here.

5. Oatmeal Muffins - (101 Cookbooks)
Crumble-topped with an oatmeal and yogurt base. And when I say, crumble, I mean the type of crumble you put on top of fruit before baking. These are a bit custard-y when hot, and not-at-all when cooled. Craggy, golden-topped, and delicious! Get the recipe here.

6. Carrot Cake Muffins with Spiced Honey Glaze - (Donna Hay)
Dates are the primary sweetener in these decadent in these carrot-packed beauties.You can also swap in whole wheat pastry flour (don't forget to add baking soda and/or powder) for more whole grain goodness. More details here.

7. Banana Bran Muffins - (Cook Republic)
Honey-kissed, but with no added sugar beyond that, these whole wheat flour muffins are heary and substantial. You can use whatoever bran you like, wheat bran, oat bran, etc. Get the recipe here.

8. Millet Oatmeal Muffins - (Alexandra Cooks)
I love love love a millet muffin. These are extra special because they incorporate a generous amount of oats as well. Get the recipe here.

9. Lucia Muffins - (101 Cookbooks)
Saffron-smacked and riddled with golden raisins, buttermilk battered and barely sweet. Said another way, Lucia buns reinterpreted as muffins. If you love saffron give them a try. Get the recipe here.

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Five Minute Avocado Dressing with Herbs and Spinach

If you love a good avocado dressing, this is one to try. It's a blender dressing fragrant with fresh herbs, seasoned with miso, and boosted with spinach. It's brimming with good-for-you ingredients, yet tastes exceptionally decadent. It's the sort of dressing that is ideal on a wedge of lettuce (or grilled lettuce!), but I imagine it would be a brilliant compliment to a vegetable crudité platter. I used it for a simple butter lettuce salad with toasted almonds and (more) herbs. Other ways I can imagine putting it to use? As a taco slather, as a generous dollop on a baked potato (or sweet potato), or on any of these lentil soups.

I make this in a blender, but you could also use an immersion blender, or even a food processor. I also note that if you have frozen spinach in your freezer drawer, you can use that in place of fresh.

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Nine Great Lentil Soups to Choose From

I've written so many lentil soup recipes for this site (and for my books), that I remember telling myself to take a break for a while. So, while I haven't published one in a while, I rarely go more than a week without making some sort of lentil soup goodness. Trying other lentil soups I come across is also a great way to expand my line-up, and brothy, creamy, chunky, pureed, spiced, and straight versions are all are fair game as far as I'm concerned. Here's a list of some tried-and-true favorites, and some great takes I've come across from out and about.

1. Coconut Yellow Split Pea Soup - (QUITOKEETO)
Not technically lentil soup, but close enough. A ginger and curry-spiked yellow split pea stunner. Leftovers freeze well, and this makes an A+ lunch. Get the recipe here.

2. Coconut Red Lentil Soup - (101 Cookbooks)
One of the top ten best soups of my life. Get the recipe here.

3. Crockpot Detox Lentil Soup - (Pinch of Yum)
For the crockpot enthusiasts out there. Get the recipe here.

4. Persian New Year Noodle Soup - (101 Cookbooks)

This is my favorite soup (yes, ever) and it has lentils in it, so I'm including it here. At its core we're talking about a bean and noodle soup featuring thin egg noodles swimming in a fragrant broth spiced with turmeric, cumin, chiles, and black pepper. You use a medley of lentils, chickpeas, and borlotti beans, making the soup hearty and filling without being heavy. You add spinach, dill, and cilantro. You add lime juice for a bit of sour at the end. And then you've got a number of toppings to add when you serve the soup - chopped walnuts, caramelized onions, and sour cream. From deep in the 101 archives. Get the recipe here.

5. Smoky Sweet Potato Lentil Tortilla Soup - (The Bojon Gourmet)
Lentil soup meets tortilla soup in brothy sweet potato-studded bowls of chipotle warmed goodness. More details here.

6. Green Lentil Soup with Curried Brown Butter - (101 Cookbooks)
Green lentils (or split peas), topped with a curried brown butter drizzle, and pan-fried paneer cubes. Get the recipe here.

7. Indian Lentil Soup / Dal Shorva - (The Woks of Life)
When you're ready to really raid your spice cupboard, this is the recipe. This is a recipe to turn to if you find yourself coming down with a cold anytime soon. Get the full recipe here.

8. Lively Up Yourself Lentil Soup - (101 Cookbooks)
This is what I make when I need a bit of a reset. Make a big pot, and then eat throughout the week. Get the recipe here.

9. Yellow Coconut Curry Red Lentil Soup - (Will Frolic for Food)
This Chitra Agrawal recipe caught my attention because it cleverly incorporates coconut, but not coconut milk. So, the broth stays hearty but not creamy - hits the spot when you want something filling but not overly decadent. Get the recipe here.

Bonus! Slow Cooker Winter Vegetable with Split Red Lentils - (A Beautiful Plate)
Adding this at the last minute. Another slow cooker option. This one with a minestrone angle.
Get the recipe here.

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Bake Potatoes Like a Pro plus Ten Surprising Toppings

Whether you're baking potatoes or sweet potatoes, having a technique that results in a crisp, seasoned skin, and fluffy, light flesh is where you want to be. I thought I'd highlight the sea-salt roasted baked potato technique I've been using exclusively for years. It's so simple, and works every time. The general guide-lines - straight on the rack, no foil, don't under-bake - you can see it below for the details. Building on that foundation, I'll share some topping ideas I'm excited about. As far as the ideas go, I'm going to focus on veg-friendly, healthful, and a bit unexpected. Enjoy! -h

1. Sea-Salt Baked Potatoes - (101 Cookbooks)
I posted this recipe nearly seven years ago, and have used this technique to bake potatoes, yams, and sweet potatoes. I'm not a fan of the foil method (unless camping?), and this works brilliantly. Get the recipe here.

2. Baked Sweet Potato with Hummus & Kale - (Donna Hay)
Donna Hay's signature brilliance in one concise, achievable weeknight recipe. Get the recipe here.

3. Breakfast Baked Sweet Potato with Hibiscus Tea Yogurt and Turmeric Granola - (Vegetarian Heartland)
Breakfast aspirations right here. And, even if you skip the potato....turmeric granola! ;) Get the recipe here.

4. Loaded Garlic Kale Baked Potatoes - (The Full Helping)
Love this vegan garlic and kale combination. You can also make a version of this recipe trading out the kale for broccoli (quick blanch it first & dry well). Get the recipe here.

5. Stuffed & Sauced Baked Sweet Potatoes - (The First Mess / Minimalist Baker)
A beautiful Dana Shultz recipe captured by Laura Wright on The First Mess. Each sweet potato is topped with ginger-coriander chickpeas, a ginger-tahini sauce, and plenty of green onions and cilantro greening things out. Yes, please. Get the recipe here.

6. Dal Stuffed Sweet Potato - (Green Kitchen Stories)
I love this recipe - tons of spices, lentils, crunch from some pumpkin seeds, and a jolt of green spinach. Perfect all-in-one meal. More details here.

7. Thai Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Red Curry Peanut Sauce - (80Twenty)
Baked purple sweet potatoes with a super simple peanut sauce, scallions, peanuts, and cilantro. Love this idea. Get the recipe here.

8. Chili Baked Potato - (Naturally Ella)
A brilliant take on chili slathered baked potatoes. She uses this bulgur chili to top the potatoes. Get the full recipe here.

9. Baked Sweet Potato with Chickpeas and Broccoli Pesto - (Jar of Lemons)
Another smart chickpea and sweet potato combination, this time with a quick broccoli pesto. Get the recipe here.

10. Loaded Garlic Kale Baked Potatoes - (The Full Helping)
Love this vegan garlic and kale combination. You can also make a version of this recipe trading out the kale for broccoli (quick blanch it first & dry well). Get the recipe here.

11. Stuffed Sweet Potato with Spinach and Feta - (Purple Avocado)
Short ingredient list, big impact. Get the recipe here.

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