Millet Muffins

Millet is a gluten-free whole grain, a staple in Africa, India and Northern China, which may be why I'm not familiar with it. Added raw to these muffins, it provides a delightful crunch. These slightly sweet, slightly lemon flavored muffins are a perfect breakfast food. I made a batch and put half of them in the freezer to pull out as needed. They pair well with strawberry jam.

Millet Muffins
from Super Natural Every Day by Heidi Swanson

2 1/4 c./10 oz. whole wheat pastry flour
1/3 c./2 oz. raw millet
1 tsp. aluminum-free baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. fine-grain sea salt
1 c./8 oz. plain yogurt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 c. barely melted unsalted butter
1/2 c. honey
grated zest and 2 Tbsp. juice from 1 lemon

Preheat the oven to 400 F 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 flour, millet, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, 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 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.

Makes 12 muffins.