Moosewood Restaurant New Classics: 350 Recipes for Homestyle Favorites and Everyday Feasts

It seems that a new study linking a good morning meal to improved concentration, mental acuity, memory, and energy is released every few months, and these findings are especially pertinent to kids.

Yet, too often our mornings are ushered in by sleeping until the last minute, cajoling and threatening late risers, then wolfing down something before dashing for buses, trains, and carpools. So much for breakfast.

The arguments for having a good meal in the morning are legion-and persuasive. The body needs nourishment, and most of us need to be alert, clear thinking, and energetic. Eating breakfast regulates food consumption. With a meal under your belt there's less temptation to snack mid-morning, or to overeat at lunch, or to make poor food choices. There is also evidence that eating breakfast essentially stokes the body, increasing metabolism and the rate at which calories are burned throughout the day.

Unfortunately, quick fixes-even toast or bagel on the run-are not good solutions for some sound physiological reasons. Breakfasts high in refined carbohydrates are fast burns, and soon leave you starving and shaky, an adrenaline response to low blood sugar. It also appears that carbohydrates alone can induce drowsiness, although when taken with the other nutrients, they play an important role in relaxation and concentration. Protein, fat, and fiber on the other hand are important starters because they provide longer lasting satisfaction and energy output, and steady glucose levels, which affect mood stability. Given the compelling connections between protein intake and brain function, the recommended wisdom is to have the bulk of one's protein for breakfast and lunch. That may mean looking at breakfast and brunch strategically and a little differently.

No time to cook for breakfast? Stretch your ideas of what's possible. Make use of leftovers. Cook enough for the weekend brunch to create "on purpose" leftovers. Reheat hot cereals in the microwave. Christine Lavin sings a song called "Cold Pizza for Breakfast," and why not? Frittatas are a great supper-into-breakfast meal, as are our savory flans, quiches, and tarts. The Greek Wheatberries & Peaches from Sunday's brunch is an ideal candidate for Tuesday's breakfast.

If you want breakfast food for breakfast, but can't see cooking on workday mornings, plan ahead a little. Our muffins, quickbreads, and whole grain, high-fiber waffles freeze beautifully, reheat well in the toaster oven, and make a meal when served with yogurt and fruit or accompanied by a fruit smoothie. Cooking can be so relaxing and fun. Do a little extra with breakfast or brunch in mind and you'll thank yourself later.

If you're an early-rising "morning person," cook extra even on workdays. After all, given what science tells us about carbohydrates, pancakes are the perfect supper.

Moosewood Muffins

Just by adding fruit, nuts, and/or chocolate chips, humble muffins can be transformed into a multisensory treat. Our basic muffin recipe leaves plenty of room for creative inspiration; over the years, early-morning Moosewood muffin-makers have tried more than two hundred variations. We've listed some of our most popular combinations. If you think of something else that appeals to you, we urge you to try it.

At Moosewood, morning customers like a muffin with their coffee, and lunch and dinner customers often check out the muffin case when it's time for dessert. The streusel topping adds a special touch. It can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks, so if you anticipate baking muffins regularly, make extra topping and you'll save time later.

For a vegan variation, omit the egg and use soy margarine and soy milk in place of the butter and the milk.

Yields 12 muffins Preparation time: 30 to 35 minutes Baking time: 30 minutes Cooling time: 15 minutes streusel topping (optional)

1/3 cup unbleached white flour
1 1/2 tablespoons cold butter, chopped into small pieces
1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon pinch of nutmeg pinch of salt

wet ingredients
6 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups chopped fruit, and/or nuts, and/or chocolate chips*

dry ingredients

2 cups unbleached white all-purpose or pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon or other spice (optional)

* See the Variations for suggested flavor combinations. Use 2 cups of chopped fruit (one kind or a combination); or 1 cup fruit, 1/2 cup nuts, and 1/2 cup chocolate chips; or 1/2 cup nuts or chocolate chips and 1 1/2 cups fruit.

Preheat the oven to 350°. Prepare a 12-cup muffin tin by lightly oiling the cups or placing a paper liner in each cup.

If you want a topping, mix together all of the streusel ingredients and blend with a fork until the butter is pea-sized or smaller. Set aside. In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg and then the milk and vanilla; the mixture will look lumpy. By hand with a rubber spatula, fold in the fruit and/or nuts and/or chocolate chips. Set aside.

In a separate large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon, if using, and mix well. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold together with a rubber spatula without overmixing. Spoon about 1/3 cup of the batter into each muffin cup. Sprinkle each muffin with a scant tablespoon of streusel topping if you like.

Immediately place the muffins in the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until puffed and golden. After about 20 minutes, rotate the muffin tin in the oven to ensure even baking.

Remove the muffins from the oven and place the tins on a rack to cool for about 15 minutes. The hot muffins are quite soft and may fall apart if handled right away. Serve warm or cool completely and store in a sealed container at room temperature.

Per 1.75-ounce serving: 167 calories, 3.1 g protein, 6.7 g fat, 23.6 g carbohydrates, 3.9 g saturated fatty acids, 38.4 mg cholesterol, 169.4 mg sodium, 0.5 g total dietary fiber

Variations -- Here are some of our most popular muffin varieties. Fruit should be chopped into pieces large enough to be easily recognizable.

Peach Blueberry: 1 cup peeled and chopped fresh peaches and 1 cup fresh blueberries.
Apple Cranberry: 1 1/2 cups peeled, cored, and chopped Granny Smith apples, 1/2 cup fresh or frozen chopped cranberries (you can chop cranberries in a mini processor), and 1 additional tablespoon of sugar.
Mango Banana Chocolate Chip: 1/2 cup peeled, pitted, and chopped ripe mangos, 1 peeled and chopped ripe banana, and 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips.
Papaya Red Raspberry: 1 ripe papaya, peeled, seeded, and chopped and 1 cup fresh red raspberries.
Peaches & Pecans: 1 1/2 cups peeled and chopped fresh peaches and 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans.
Pear Chocolate Almond: 1 cup peeled, cored, and chopped ripe pears, 1/2 cup chopped toasted almonds, and 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips.
Pumpkin Apple Cinnamon: 3/4 cup cooked mashed pumpkin (canned is fine), 1 cup peeled, cored, and chopped apples, and an additional 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon.
Pumpkin Pecan Chocolate Chip: 3/4 cup cooked mashed pumpkin (canned is fine), 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans, and 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips.
Strawberry Chocolate Almond: 1 cup chopped fresh strawberries, 1/2 cup chopped toasted almonds, and 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Apple Zucchini Muffins

Here's a muffin that's very, very low in fat, made with no butter and no oil whatsoever. We add a bit of oat bran, a nutritious touch-since oat bran has been identified as a food helpful for lowering cholesterol. The zucchini, apples, and yogurt all contribute to the moistness of the muffins, which are flavored with the tasty pairing of vanilla and cinnamon.

Yields 12 muffins Preparation time: 20 minutes Baking time: 25 to 30 minutes

1 1/2 cups unbleached white flour
1/2 cup oat bran
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
3/4 cup plain nonfat yogurt
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (optional)
1 cup grated zucchini
1 cup peeled, cored, and chopped apples

Preheat the oven to 350°. Lightly oil the muffin tin. Place a paper liner in each cup.

In a bowl, sift together the flour, oat bran, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Stir to mix evenly.

In a separate bowl, beat the eggs until pale yellow. Add the yogurt, brown sugar, and the vanilla, if using, and beat until thoroughly mixed. With a rubber spatula, fold in the zucchini and apples. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just blended.

Spoon about 1/3 cup of batter into each muffin cup. Bake for 15 minutes, rotate the muffin tin in the oven to ensure even baking, and continue to bake for another 10 to 15 minutes. When a paring knife inserted into a muffin comes out clean, the muffins are done.

Remove the muffins from the tin and place on a wire rack. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature. Allow to cool completely before storing in a sealed container.

Per 2.75-ounce serving: 144 calories, 4.1 g protein, 1.5 g fat, 29.8 g carbohydrates, 0.4 g saturated fatty acids, 44.3 mg cholesterol, 164.4 mg sodium, 1.3 g total dietary fiber

Strawberry Banana Muffins

These wheat-free, gluten-free muffins are made with the yummy combination of strawberries and bananas. Look for potato starch in the kosher foods section of your market.

Yields 12 muffins Preparation time: 25 minutes Baking time: 25 to 30 minutes

1 1/4 cups rice flour
1/4 cup potato starch
1/4 cup tapioca flour
1/2 teaspoon xanthum gum*
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup milk
2 bananas, peeled
1 1/2 cups stemmed and coarsely chopped fresh strawberries
* Xanthum gum is a binding agent, found in health food stores and well-stocked supermarkets. In this recipe, in the absence of wheat gluten, it holds the muffins together.

Preheat the oven to 350°. Lightly oil a muffin tin and fill with paper liners.

In a large bowl, sift together the rice flour, potato starch, tapioca flour, xanthum gum, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir to mix. In a separate bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs and add the vanilla and milk, stirring well. The mixture will be quite lumpy.

Mash the bananas and fold them with the strawberries into the wet ingredients. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients to form a thick batter.

Spoon a generous 1/3 cup of batter into each muffin cup. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. After about 15 minutes, turn the muffin tin to ensure even baking. Insert a paring knife into a muffin; when the blade comes out clean the muffins are done.

Place the muffin tin on a cooling rack for a few minutes, then remove the muffins from the tin and place them on the rack or a platter. Serve warm or at room temperature. Cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

Per 3-ounce serving: 197 calories, 2.8 g protein, 9.2 g fat, 26.6 g carbohydrates, 5.3 g saturated fatty acids, 65.2 mg cholesterol, 341.5 mg sodium, 1.5 g total dietary fiber

From the Hardcover edition.