Whole Wheat Lemon Millet Muffins

I think that the Great Scone Explosion of 2011 has proven that I love to have something sweet for breakfast. But my adoration of whole grains must not be neglected, and these muffins provide the perfect happy medium. Don’t let the whole grains give you the wrong idea: these are *delicious*. So delicious that I ate two of them as soon as they came out of the oven, nevermind that it was 10pm.

I found the recipe in Heidi Swanson‘s wonderful Super Natural Every Day, which my sweet BFF gave us as a wedding present. I made some changes to it here and there, adding more lemon, using ricotta instead of yogurt, and throwing in a bit of coconut flour. The recipe proved pretty versatile. It’s a keeper.

I do have to say that it makes me feel pretty virtuous to eat a breakfast that is sweetened only by honey. It’s a lot of honey, but still.

My favorite thing about these muffins is, you guessed it, the crunch of the millet! I have never baked with it before, but I think it is going to skyrocket to the top of my list of favorite ingredients, and I will likely start a club promoting overlooked grains in its honor. Now accepting applications.

These muffins are deliciously dense, yet light and full of lemon flavor as well, making them pretty much my ideal breakfast. Hope you enjoy!

Whole Wheat Lemon Millet Muffins
Adapted from Heidi Swanson‘s Super Natural Every Day

Makes 12 Muffins

2 c whole wheat flour
1/4 c coconut flour
1/3 c raw millet
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp fine-grain sea salt
1 c ricotta cheese
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 c barely melted unsalted butter
1/2 c honey
Grated zest and  juice from 1 lemon

-Preheat the oven to 400 degrees with a rack in the top third of the oven. Butter a standard 12-cup muffin pan or line with paper liners.
-Whisk together the flours, millet, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the ricotta, eggs, butter, honey, and lemon zest and juice until smooth. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until the flour is just incorporated. Divide the batter among the muffin cups, spooning a heaping 1/4 cup batter into each one, filling it to a bit below the rim.
-Bake for about 15 minutes, until the muffin tops are browned and just barely beginning to crack. Let cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then turn the muffins out of the pan to cool completely on a wire rack.