TasteFood

I don’t bake muffins often, but when I do, I try to make them healthy and have them on hand for an easy breakfast or a snack. My issue with muffins is that they often resemble mini-cakes, packed with sugar and fat. To some extent, this can't be avoided if you wish to eat a muffin that doesn't resemble a hockey puck or bird food.

But I adjust, reducing some of the sugar and fat and adding healthy grains or cereals, fruit and nuts to the batter. I also add grated fruit, which is a key ingredient for natural sweetness and moisture.

Grated apple is the star of this recipe, which also includes raisins, chopped nuts and oats for extra fiber. As muffins go, they are reasonably healthy, while sufficiently naughty to indulge a craving for something moist and sweet. You can tweak this recipe if you like -- just make sure to follow the ratios. In place of apple, try adding grated carrot, zucchini or pear; and bran can be substituted for the oats. There’s no need to peel the fruit. The nutrients in the skin add a little extra healthy boost -- I’ll take my small victories where I can.

Apple Oat Muffins

Active Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Yield: Makes 12 (2 1/2-inch) muffins

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs, room temperature

1/4 cup unsulphured molasses

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup buttermilk

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup old-fashioned oats

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup raisins

1 medium sweet and crisp apple, such as Honey Crisp, grated, about 1 cup

1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Oil a 12-muffin tin (or line with paper liners).

Mix the sugar and oil in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in the molasses and vanilla, and then mix in the buttermilk.

Whisk the flour, oats, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a bowl. Add to the sugar mixture and mix on low speed until just combined, without overmixing. Stir in the raisins, apple and walnuts, if using.

Spoon the batter into the muffin tin or paper liners, filling them. Transfer to the oven and bake until a tester comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool 10 minutes in the pan, then remove and cool the muffins completely on a rack. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days.

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There are one-pan dinners, and there are sheet-pan dinners. They both make sense. By limiting the cooking action to a single pan, there is less to wash up, which is a definite bonus at the end of a long day. But there’s a more important advantage: One-pan cooking ensures that every ingredient mingles together during the cooking process, sharing the spices and flavorings while contributing to the pan juices, which, in turn, promises a very tasty and comforting dish.

I’ve prepared this recipe in various iterations for years. It was originally inspired by a Bon Appetit recipe, and since then I’ve tweaked and improvised it along the way. The key method remains the same -- which is that the whole lot is spread on a rimmed baking sheet at once, coated in a spicy garlic-infused oil, and then banished to the oven for just enough time to thoroughly cook the chicken. During the cooking process, the tomatoes cook down to a juicy sludge and melt into the pan juices, while the nubby chickpeas enjoy a bath in the fragrant sauce.

Before you know it -- voila -- you have a fragrant, saucy chicken dinner, ready in about 40 minutes, while most of that time is hands-off oven time. The flavorful sauce is the best part to this dish, so I serve the chicken over a bed of couscous to capture every drop, and serve the finished dish with a cooling dollop of spiced yogurt.

Sheet Pan Chicken Breasts with Tomatoes and Chickpeas

Active Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Yield: Serves 4

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro and/or mint

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

2 teaspoons sweet paprika

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

1/4 teaspoon cayenne or piment d’Espelette

Salt

4 large boneless chicken breasts, with skin, 6 to 8 ounces each

1 pound grape tomatoes

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Yogurt Sauce:

1 cup Greek whole milk yogurt

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 small garlic clove, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon cayenne or piment d’Espelette

Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Whisk the oil, garlic, cilantro, paprika, cumin, zest, cayenne and 1 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Arrange the chicken, skin-side up, on a rimmed baking sheet. Rub half of the oil all over the chicken pieces, between the skin and meat, and lightly season with additional salt.

Add the tomatoes and chickpeas to the bowl with the remaining oil and turn to coat. Spread on the cooking sheet around the chicken. Transfer to the oven and roast until the chicken is thoroughly cooked, 25 to 30 minutes, depending on the thickness of the meat.

While the chicken is roasting, whisk the yogurt sauce ingredients in a small bowl.

Arrange the chicken on serving plates, with couscous if desired. Garnish with fresh mint or cilantro and serve with the yogurt sauce.

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There is something magical about roasted butternut squash. Its orange flesh softens into sweet, nutty squidginess, which is easily transformed into a puree. It’s hard to believe something so rich and sugary can be loaded with nutrients and beta carotene, but so it is. One cup of butternut squash provides a glutton’s worth of vitamins A and C, as well as a healthy shot of potassium, manganese and fiber.

When roasted, its natural sugars are coaxed out and gently caramelized, accentuating the squash’s inherent nutty flavor. In this recipe, roasted butternut squash mingles with its fall buddies -- apples, cider and loads of warming spices -- yielding an essential autumn soup.

Serve the soup as a starter to any meal, or dress it up in little shot glasses as a fancy starter when entertaining a crowd. It’s a great way to kick off the holiday season.

Curried Apple and Butternut Squash Soup

Active Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes

Yield: Makes 4 to 6 large bowl servings or 16 to 18 small appetizer shots, depending on size of glass

1 medium butternut squash, about 2 pounds


Extra-virgin olive oil


1 large onion, finely chopped


1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, diced

1 tablespoon curry powder


1 teaspoon ground cumin


1/2 teaspoon ground coriander


1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste


3 cups chicken stock


1 cup apple cider


1 tablespoon light brown sugar


1 to 2 teaspoons salt, to taste


1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Creme fraiche or sour cream for garnish

Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Cut the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Lightly brush the exposed flesh with olive oil. Place squash, cut-side-down, on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until the flesh is fork-tender, 50 to 60 minutes. Remove from oven and cool slightly. When cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh and set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until softened without coloring, 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the apple, curry powder, cumin, coriander and cayenne. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the roasted squash and chicken stock. (There should be just enough stock to cover the squash and apples. If needed, add additional stock to cover.) Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover the pot, and simmer until the apples are very soft, about 20 minutes.

Carefully puree the soup in batches in a food processor (or with an immersion blender). Return the soup to the pot and stir in the apple cider, brown sugar, salt and pepper. Warm thoroughly over medium-low heat and taste for seasoning. Serve warm, garnished with a small spoonful of creme fraiche.

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