By the Cup: Flax Meal Muffin

The recipe promised a healthy flax meal muffin in less than five minutes. Could be a yummy breakfast treat. Would the results be better than the chocolate cake in a mug I tried?

I’m intrigued by the idea of “baking” a single serving in a coffee mug using the microwave. It seems so full of possibilities: quick, easy, no leftovers, yumminess.

This week I tried making a flax meal muffin using a recipe I found on the boards at TuDiabetes. The recipe is very simple.

Flax Meal Muffin in a Cup
INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup flax meal
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 egg
1 tsp oil
2 tsp sweetener

Mix all the ingredients in a microwave-safe mug (not tea cup). I like to mix the wet ingredients first, then add the dry ones. Just make sure everything is well blended and you don’t have any lumps.

Microwave the mug for 45-60 seconds. The mix will rise a lot. The top will set but the bottom might still be a little bit moist. Pop the muffin out of the mug. Top with butter, butter spread or cream cheese. Enjoy!

It’s not the most beautiful muffin, in fact it has sort of a grey color to it. But the texture is right on in a bran muffin kind of way. And the  cinnamon flavor really popped.

I give it a solid 3 plates on the yumminess scale. A plate each for yumminess, goodness (whole grain, low fat, high fiber) and easy. Once the family tries it this recipe might even earn a fourth plate.

Beyond this basic recipe I see the possibility of yummy variations. Add some chopped walnuts or pecans, or a few cranberries or blueberries. Also I want to try adding some mashed banana or pumpkin (maybe about 1/4 cup); but with the extra moisture it will need to cook longer (maybe another 15-30 seconds). Yum!