Getting a great start to the day can both healthy and delicious

Hello and welcome to another all about food. This week is a firm favourite. Enjoy!

Ask Gingergirl

Hello Gingergirl,

I'm just wondering if you could help me with a recipe for a breakfast muffin or roll. I’m getting a little bored with my usual breakfasts – so are the kids.

Margaret O'Dwyer.

Hello Margaret,

I am really surprised at the amount of enquiries I get for breakfast recipes. I’m not a fan of a full fry for breakfast and it seems I am not alone.

I have been experimenting with muffin recipes for quite some time and I have discovered that buttermilk is the foundation for truly delicious muffins; surprisingly yoghurt does not come close in my opinion. Breakfast muffins are an excellent way of getting fruit and bran into children in a very tasty and sneaky way! Like most of my recipes I suggest you play about with the combinations of fruits, seeds and nuts and try sweet and savoury versions.

Rhubarb and Walnut Muffins

Makes 12.

250g of soft brown sugar

80ml of vegetable oil

One egg

250ml of buttermilk

175g rhubarb, finely sliced

80g of walnuts, roughly chopped

200g of plain flour, sieved

100g of wholemeal flour

2 teaspoons of baking powder

1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda

½ teaspoon of cinnamon

Preheat your oven to 200ºc and line a muffin try with muffin cases. In a large bowl, mix the sugar, oil, egg and buttermilk and stir in the rhubarb and walnuts. Sprinkle in the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and cinnamon. Fold together quickly until the mixture is just blended. Spoon the mixture into the muffin cases and sprinkle with a little Demerara sugar for added crunch. Bake for 35-40 minutes, allow to initially cool in the tin for 5 – 10 minutes before transferring to further cool on a wire rack. These muffins taste so good when still slightly warm. Enjoy!

Contact Gingergirl

www.gingergirl.ie

email: helen@gingergirl.ie

Gingergirl aka Helen Keown is an artisan food producer who produces a range of handmade luxury jams, preserves and chutney’s made from local, seasonal or organic ingredients. Helen’s produce is available nationwide from independent food emporiums and is also available at selected food delis across Europe.

Letters to ‘gingergirl’ c/o The Limerick Leader, 54 O’Connell St. Limerick.

You can follow gingergirl’s on Twitter – under gingergirlfood or on Facebook – under ‘gingergirl’.