I love muffin tins because they offer built-in portion control. Take mini meatloaf, for example: using a muffin tin instead of a loaf pan saves me from having to eyeball the appropriate size to cut (plus it reduces baking time and the little loaves make an easily packable lunch).
Now that you know the method behind my madness, I bet you’ll break out your muffin tin more often too. Here are 5 sweet and savory recipes to inspire you to form a whole new relationship with your muffin tin.
Mini Meals
Mini Meatloaves (recipe below): These cook in half the time of a full-size meatloaf and you can have leftovers for a sandwich the next day.
Cupcakes
Apple Cupcakes with Cinnamon-Marshmallow Frosting: The staff at EatingWell found these cupcakes irresistible! Shredded apple replaces some of the oil and keeps the cake moist in these cinnamon-spiked cupcakes. There is a generous amount of fluffy marshmallow frosting to mound or pipe on top for a festive look.
Cookies
Pineapple Coconut Bites: This amazing cookie was one of the runners-up in our annual EatingWell Holiday Cookie Contest last year. These mini tarts get a healthy makeover from whole-wheat pastry flour and less butter and sugar.
Quiche
Mini Mushroom-&-Sausage Quiches: These crustless mini quiches are like portable omelets. Small and satisfying, they're also a good finger food for your next cocktail party.
Muffins (of course!)
Blueberry-Coconut-Macadamia Muffins: The one-two punch
of coconut and macadamia nuts in this luxurious muffin will make
you think you're having your morning coffee in Hawaii.
Mini Meatloaves
Traditional meatloaf is made with ground beef, pork and veal; here
we replace the veal with ground turkey for a tender, flavorful and
leaner version of the classic. Baking individual portions in muffin
tins speeds cooking, standardizes serving size and produces a
moist, delicious main dish.
8 ounces lean ground beef
8 ounces lean ground pork
8 ounces ground turkey breast
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup quick-cooking oats
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup ketchup, divided
3 tablespoons low-fat milk
1 small onion, chopped (3/4 cup)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat 8 muffin cups with cooking
spray.
2. Mix beef, pork, turkey, egg, oats, parsley, 2 tablespoons
ketchup, milk, onion, salt and pepper in a large bowl.
3. Form the mixture into 8 balls and place in the prepared muffin
cups. Combine the remaining 2 tablespoons ketchup and
Worcestershire sauce and spread about 1/2 teaspoon over each mini
meatloaf.
4. Place the muffin pan on a baking sheet. Bake the meatloaves
until their internal temperature reaches 160°F, 25 to 30 minutes.
Pour off fat before serving.
Makes 8 servings.
Per serving: 184 calories; 10 g fat (4 g sat, 4 g mono); 86 mg cholesterol; 5 g carbohydrates; 17 g protein; 1 g fiber; 385 mg sodium; 317 mg potassium.
By Brierley Wright, M.S., R.D.
Brierley’s interest in nutrition and food come together in her position as an associate editor at EatingWell. Brierley holds a master’s degree in Nutrition Communication from the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University. A Registered Dietitian, she completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Vermont.
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