Millet Muffins

A couple semesters ago I took a basic foods class.  One of our labs focused on grains--bulgar, quinoa, wheat, oat, millet, and a few others I've forgotten.  One of the grains I had never tried before and loved the taste of was millet.  Millet is actually a seed, and is often seen in bird feed.  It is so versatile!  If soaked overnight, it becomes quite soft and fluffy.  It  can also be toasted, ground into flour, or just used plain.  I have been wanting to try using millet, and finally found it in the gluten-free section of the local grocery store.  This morning I finally opened the bag and tried a new recipe.

Berry Millet Muffins

1-1/4 cup oat flour
1 cup white unbleached flour
1/2 cup millet
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/3 cup buttermilk (I use plain milk with enough vinegar to make it curdle a little, no more than 1 Tbsp.)
1/2 cup frozen and thawed berries
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup honey
1 egg

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Mix together the milk, berries, oil, honey, and egg.  A great trick is to measure your oil first, then use the same measuring cup for the honey.  This allows the honey to easily pour out of the cup.  Add the flours, millet, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and mix in until just wet.  Do not overbeat until the dough is smooth!!!  If needed you can add more white flour if it is too wet.

I also added a crumb topping:

1/4 cup quick oats
2 Tbsp Sugar in the Raw
1/4 cup softened butter
1/4-1/2 cup flour

Using two butter knifes or a pastry cutter, cut together the oats, sugar, and butter.  Slowly add in flour until the mixture is nice and crumbly.

Grease your muffin tin.  Scoop muffin batter into the muffin cups until about 2/3-3/4 full.  Yields 12 muffins. Sprinkle a little of the crumb topping onto the batter.  Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Transfer muffins onto a wire rack to cool.  These muffins can be frozen for later days when you're in a rush to get out the door without time for breakfast.

These muffins are really good and moist!  The millet gives it a nice subtle crunch.