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cynthia lair - feeding the young athlete

8/28/12
Dear Cynthia and The Cookus Gang:
Just made the Mediterranean Quinoa Salad again, first time this summer-- it continues to utterly amaze and delight! My mom loved it! My four yr old and 18 month old loved it! Happy and healthy dinner was had by all. Thank you so much!
Jen

8/27/12
Hi, I wanted to let you know that I just did the Danskin Triathlon (my first such event), and I took Lime Boost in my water bottles. It was great.
Jami

7/29/12
I printed this a year ago, but finally got around to trying it (Gays Mini Pot Roast). I was afraid of all the steps and thought my 8 quart le Creuset pan would be too big. I took the plunge and boy am I ever glad I did!! This was amazing!!! I used dried herbs since that's what I had and it still turned out amazing. I used fingerling potatoes cut up and I used a few extra parsnips. It was soooo good!! I think you are the best Cynthia!!!! You give me SUCH confidence in the kitchen. I am almost 40 and finally gaining some self esteem in the kitchen - THANKS TO YOU!!!
Rebekah

7/23/12
This is simply delicious. (Bourbon BBQ Shrimp) Words overheard at dinner tonight from my hubby and two kids in regard to this dish: stellar, amazing, the best shrimp, and soooo good. Thanks for another winner recipe! (Oh, and I served this cornbread; it was a great match.)
Hillary

6/14/12
Cookus Interruptus - you guys are a hilarious team! You really pulled out all the stops to give Ms. Selengut a warm welcome. I love what you guys do x
Tui

6/13/12
That was killer. (Hoppin' John) Made with andouille sausage, cheesy corn grits and braised bok choy and kale from the garden. Everyone loved it, and my 3 year old cleaned her plate, much to my delight! Did wish I had a nice blob of sour cream, though...
Stephanie

3/8/12
Chinese Vegetable Fried Brown Rice:
WOW - I want that for breakfast, too! (I am talking about the stir fry people!)One of the funniest interruptions yet! Have to share this one with my mom...
Heather

1/5/12
Firstly, this looks delicious and amazing and I can't wait to try it. (Chicken and Kabocha with Chocolate Enchilada Sauce). Secondly, Matt completely cracks me up in this. Cynthia makes a great foil to his craziness. Well-done!
Kymberlee

12/11/11
My 2 year old daughter and I watched this video before making our own. We went into the kitchen, popped the Mochica into the oven, and next thing I know she is stretching on the ground with her feet in the air. Then, biting into the finished product she says, 'come here little sizzler!'. I was in fits laughing. Thanks for great recipes and great fun.
Stephanie

11/29/11
So, I've said it before and I'll say it again...my 5-year old daughter LOVES this soup. Tonight she had 2 bowls full with olive tapenade on top. And when I was packing up the little bit that was leftover, she asked that I save it for her to eat tomorrow, The recipes says this serves 6-8, but in our family it barely feeds 4. We can't get enough of it.
Anna

10/25/11
you guys are silly but it helped me to keep watching.
Rob

1/25/12
I find that everything here "speaks" to my instincts. Everything I see here just feels intuitive to me. Maybe it's because we're in the same camp, or maybe also because the "loose pattern" of philosophies you've woven together here fits so well for so many of us. Thank you!
Jennifer

9/18/11
As a newbie to whole foods and anything that isn't meat and potatoes...your recipes and fun way that you give lessons really are making the transition to healthy eating easy. Thank you so much!
Raquel

7/17/11

you guys are BRILLIANT with your videos. The entertainment value opens up the floodgates of people who want to watch and (inadvertently) learn from you about the wonders of whole foods. I use them in our kids' cooking classes all the time. Lots of laughs and learning! "Who doesn't like applesauce? I'll tell you who, freaks and crazy people!" We love Jane!"

Marirose

5/19/11

My 2 year old LOVES this soup (Yaki Soba). She scoops the broth with her little spoon and picks up every last bit of tofu, bok choy, and mushroom with unbridled enthusiasm. I love your recipes and best of all my family does too! Thank you!

Heidi Denis

5/5/11
Keep up the great show! LOL...my kids watched 5 episodes today... my oldest loves Jane and keeps watching to see if she's going to get together with what's-his-name and my boys couldn't stop laughing at Darrell and they all want to know why they can't see Captin J.
Tomena Reed

3/19/11
I made this soup tonight and it was, by far, the best homemade soup we have ever had. 3 generations ate together, even my 5 and 2 year olds! Thank you from the bottom of our empty soup bowls!
Taylor Hope

I've been consistently cooking your meals for over a month, now, and I love all the recipes I've made. Even my husband loves them, which is amazing because, in the past, he's usually complained when I made 'healthy meals', calling them 'a snack'. Thanks for making it so enjoyable to eat healthy!
Erin Fields-Johnson

2/11/11
This is my 3rd recipe this week since Saturday night-it's only Monday! I'm hooked on your site. such great food and love the videos. Thanks to all!!!
Josie

1/13/11
Wow, what an amazing site. I made your fish tacos for dinner last night and my 13 yo commented on how good they were. In fact she said, Mom everything you've made from Cookus Interruptus has been good! Yes, delicious and easy!! Thank you so much
Ruby Cacchione

12/29/10
while watching this video (Be Bop Breakfast) my 7yr old daughter was totally perplexed that you would eat cooked greens for breakfast. (we do green smoothies, but my kids are pretty skeptical about other usage of greens) But after watching it through she asked if we could try it tomorrow! I think we are going to watch a few more videos!
Annie Moore

12/15/10
Pacific NW Magazine loves Cookus! Read the story by superfabulous Greg Atkinson.

10/29/10
Rosemary Red Soup: I make this soup for my birthday every year. It was the soup that got me to reconsider beets after hating them since birth. Now I love them, as long as they're fresh!
Anne

10/14/10
For my birthday last week, my friend helped me make the apple pie with butter crust. We couldn't stop congratulating our pie while we were eating it. It was delicious...and we had no hesitation about serving our daughter nice hefty slices. Thank you, Cynthia Lair. Your recipes make my life better every day.
Anna

10/8/10
I've been cooking from your website for the last few weeks, and every single recipe I've tried has turned out Incredible. Thank you so much for doing something like this! The videos make it very simple for a visual learner. I look forward to any new recipes you post :)
Susan

9/21/10
I just have to say, once again, how much I love your website. I've been a huge fan of the cookbook for years and the website makes it fresh. True story: my kids (5 and 2) and I will sit and watch your videos. My son, the 5 year old, loves them!
Hillary Mizia

9/10/10
Where have I been? I just now came across your site. I have never enjoyed looking at recipes as much as yours and had such a laugh plus great info. and learned something. You are ALL a kick. Thank you for being here, keep up the great work and info. There is nothing out here like you, what a joy. Must say, I watch you everyday. Thanks
val greene

"My 4-year-old son referred to it as 'the phenomenal noodle salad' and kept offering additional helpings to everyone at the table! I will definitely be making this again. :-)"
-Lindsey Parks
(see Asian Noodle Salad)

"Cooking for my family had become a chore. I was basically in a rut until I came across your site via the OCA. I have actually began enjoying cooking again. My kids are now even trying simple recipes on their own. I feel such a sense of satisfaction knowing I am preparing food that's nourishing and delicious. I have learned so much. Thank you, thank you :)"
-Kaylla

"I must tell you what an inspiration your blog and videos have been to me....and my kids. We love watching you and learning great tips."
-Laurene

Townsend Letter raves about Cynthia's book and Cookus Interruptus in October 09 issue!

Danny Jensen at Take Part loves Cookus Interruptus. Read about it!

"This has to be the best cooking show EVER!!! Besides being so funny, they make this type of cooking seem so approachable. Kudos on doing a great job!!!!"
-Cheryl

"I have been cooking more. I made some really good fried tofu, delicious soba noodles, Bok Choy (from the collard greens vid), Blanched red cabbage, fried rice, some thing else I can't remember, and almost every day for breakfast I eat either quinoa or steel cut oats. Not only that my knowledge on food has increased 10 fold. All thanks to you. xo"
-Joel

"Can I just say that your videos make me laugh my butt off? Is that ok? Did I mention I am totally by myself when I do this? Loooove you guys!"
sunbronzedbabe

"Besides providing amazing how-to recipes on whole, organic foods, you weave a gentle little funny-family story-line throughout that always leaves me wanting more. I forward your site to friends with the spoiler, "pssst, bet you can't watch just one!" There's just nothing like your program anywhere!"
Lynne Lillie

"What a really well conceived, and nicely organized website. Being gut-bustingly funny is an added bonus. Nice job, Fam."
Steven Lee

"I've been cooking uninterrupted for the past 3 days and I'm loving it. I watch the videos with my toddler then we cook our family meal together. It's lovely:) Thank you guys for a great book &website."
Yasmine

"Clean, easy to use, and informative, the videos get to the point, and on the plate, in 4 to 8 minutes..." Read the whole glowing blog post!
Maggie Dutton, Seattle Weekly

"Your steel cut oats recipe did change my life!"
Julie

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Printable version

Sweet Potato Corn Muffins

Recipe reprinted with permission from Feeding the Whole Family (third edition) by Cynthia Lair (Sasquatch Books, 2008).

These corn muffins are superb served with a bowl of White Bean and Kale Soup or Big Mo Minestrone. The cooked vegetable imparts vitamin-rich sweetness, and keeps the muffin moist. To make these muffins dairy free, substitute melted coconut oil for butter.

1 ½ cups cornmeal
1 ½ cups whole wheat pastry flour or barley flour
2 teaspoons non-aluminum baking powder
½ teaspoon sea salt

1 cup baked and mashed sweet potatoes or red garnet yam
½ cup water or milk
½ cup melted butter
½ cup maple syrup
2 eggs

Decoration:
2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds & dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly oil muffin tins or line with paper muffin cups. Mix cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl; set aside. Puree cooked sweet potato with butter, syrup, and water in blender until smooth. Add extra water if necessary. The mixture should be the consistency of porridge. Add eggs and pulse briefly.

Combine wet ingredients with dry mixture and mix with a minimum of strokes. Spoon into muffin cups filling them full, mixture will be thick. Place a few pumpkin seeds on top of each muffin.

Bake 20-25 minutes. Top of muffin should crack slightly when done.

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Makes 12 regular muffins

CLICK HERE

12 Comments:

Anna Barresi
I make these muffins OFTEN. My daughter loves dipping them into your rosemary red soup. I always make them with garnet yams.
March 9, 2011, 11:52 am

Molly Rapozo
Oh, I wish I would have paired these with your AWESOME Chili Con Carne! I will definitely swap this recipe for my standard corn muffins next time. Half the batch is already in the freezer because they do go stale so quickly. I make your recipes every week and turn my friends on to them too. Thanks!
March 9, 2011, 12:14 pm

Eileen R
Great timing, as usual! I have all this stuff at my house and today is the perfect day for them.
March 9, 2011, 2:39 pm

Laura Dwight
We are gluten free in our house, so I substituted 1 cup Better Batter blend, 1/4 cup teff and 1/4 millet for the flours you called for. The Better Batter has xanthan gum added so I did not add any. I also used some canned sweet potato instead of one I baked. They were delicious! I hope do not mind that I posted the recipe with a link to your blog and the information about your book to a gluten free cooking list.
March 9, 2011, 5:33 pm

Deven Vasko
@ Laura - Thanks for the gluten free substitutes! My friends are gluten free & I like to have something to offer them when they come over!
March 9, 2011, 8:16 pm

Gillian Chi
Thank you, this recipe made my day!!! When I told my 3 year old we were making muffins for dinner he was scandalized but delighted. We made them together (he does all the pouring, mixing, and scooping of batter). He loved them so much that, a) he even ate his minestrone soup, and b) he had to go back and eat another one after his bath. Yay!
March 10, 2011, 3:50 am

Beth Allen
Looks delicious! I will make them this weekend.
March 10, 2011, 8:23 pm

Cynthia Lair
Dear gluten-free friends, we have had great success making these in class using 3/4 cup sweet brown rice flour and 3/4 cup almond flour. Both were ground fresh so that the flour was moist, the fats available. This makes a more moist, less crumbly muffin than if rice-based flour mixes are used.
March 11, 2011, 3:07 pm

Sam Richert
I made a gluten-free version using 3/4 cup buckwheat flour and 3/4 cup brown rice flour that turned out nicely. They were hearty but not too dense. One of the things I miss about eating wheat is hearty whole grain breads - most gluten free mixes are trying so hard to be light and fluffy. These turned out hearty and the buckwheat flavor blended well with the sweet potato, maple and corn flavors.
March 27, 2011, 6:27 pm

Lisa Selby
Could these be made from a butternut squash? I have a really big pumpkin sized butternut squash fresh from our farmer's market that I would love to use. Thanks!
September 7, 2011, 6:55 pm

Cynthia Lair
Lisa, Butternut squash works beautifully. Delicatta squash too!
September 9, 2011, 4:19 pm

Eve Erickson
This recipe is good, but I prefer the older version made with acorn or butternut squash and the dulse. (Any particular reason why you make them sans dulse these days?) This recipe is my favorite corn muffin recipe as it's lightly sweet and always moist.
October 26, 2011, 4:01 pm