Muffins Get the Halloween Trek Off to Good Start

Halloween falls on a Saturday this year. That means many youngsters will spend the entire day gearing up for trick-or-treating, while mothers try to put something healthful into their bodies before the witching hour strikes.

Muffins can be the perfect snack for children to enjoy before they set out for their Halloween haunt--although muffins have been much maligned by adults who consider them to be tiny glorified cakes loaded with fat, calories or both.

But muffins do have a place in the diet of a growing child. Like other foods on an adult’s list of “no” foods, they can be a good choice for between-meal snacks because of the extras they provide that children need to thrive.

Different Criteria for Kids

Unfortunately, many parents have become so concerned about advice to lower fat and calories for optimum health, they are placing dangerous restrictions on their children’s diets. Often this means excluding foods they believe place the child in peril of coronary heart disease--although a child’s activity level and rate of growth gives them an entirely different list of criteria for determining safe fat levels.

“As a pediatrician, I’m concerned about stringent dietary restrictions for children who do not have elevated blood cholesterol,” said Dr. Harry Green, head of clinical nutrition research at Vanderbilt University’s medical center, at a recent Dairy Council of California press conference in Newport Beach.

He explained that the number of parents who actually understand the American Heart Assn. recommendations for safe fat and cholesterol intake levels and can apply that knowledge to their children’s diets (in terms of sensible food choices) are few.

Most parents, he contends, have gone overboard with today’s guidelines, which call for a reduction of dietary fat from the current 40% level to 30%. As a result, parents may be depriving their children of vital nutrients that they need to grow.

“Most parents need substantial education concerning appropriate food choices to ensure nutrition for optimal growth and at the same time comply with recommendations of the American Heart Assn.,” Greene said. “(Parents) read or hear from a variety of sources that they should cut saturated fats and cholesterol in their children’s diets, and the first things eliminated are dairy products, red meats and eggs,” he said.

Instead, Greene suggests that parents take a comparative study of the foods their children eat during a week’s time instead of computing foods on a meal by meal basis. This way, it is possible to ensure that children get those vitamins and minerals needed for adequate growth and development, but they can still choose from a whole variety of foods.

“Generally, children can eat a little bit of everything,” Greene explained. “An occasional high-fat food, as long as it isn’t eaten every day, is within the levels recommended by the academy,” he said.

A Better Alternative

The muffin recipes suggested here, compared with some typical children’s snacks, fare well. The key is to select wholesome ingredients like whole grains, nuts and fruits as the foundation and build from there, giving children the sweet treat they desire and still providing nutrients for growth.

One cream-filled snack cake, for example, plain or chocolate, can carry as many as 150 to 256 calories each and contain between six and 10 grams of fat; yet they offer less than a trace of the Recommended Daily Allowance for most vital nutrients.

Instead, offer a muffin made from whole grains, a piece of fresh fruit and a glass of milk for the afternoon snack on Allhallows Eve. Then, sit back with a strong toothbrush in hand and wait for your goblins to return with their Halloween goodies.

PUMPKIN MUFFINS

2 cups buttermilk baking mix

1/2 cup raisins

1/3 cup canned pumpkin

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup skim milk

2 tablespoons oil

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 egg

Combine baking mix, raisins, pumpkin, nuts, sugar, milk, oil, cinnamon and egg in bowl. Mix just until blended. Pour batter into 12 paper-lined muffin cups and bake at 400 degrees until golden brown, 16 to 18 minutes. Remove from pan immediately. Makes 12 muffins.

PER SERVING: 166 calories; 3 gm protein; 24 gm carbohydrate; 7 gm fat; 270 mg sodium; 102 mg potassium.

USRDA Protein 04% Riboflavin 06% Vitamin A 10% Niacin 05% Vitamin C 01% Calcium 02% Thiamine 08% Iron 06% LEMON GROVE WALNUT MUFFINS

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 eggs

1 cup plain yogurt

2 tablespoons grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts

1 cup whole-wheat flour

1 cup all-purpose flour

Combine sugar and butter in mixer bowl. Beat with mixer until pale and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at time, then beat in yogurt, lemon zest, baking soda and nuts. Combine flours and add to creamed mixture gradually mixing until well blended. Spoon into paper-lined muffin cups. Bake at 375 degrees 18 to 20 minutes. Makes 12 servings.

PER SERVING: 328 calories; 7 gm protein; 36 gm carbohydrate; 19 gm fat; 206 mg sodium; 157 mg potassium.

USRDA Protein 10% Riboflavin 08% Vitamin A 09% Niacin 06% Vitamin C 03% Calcium 05% Thiamine 13% Iron07% FRUITY ORANGE REFRIGERATOR MUFFINS

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup whole-wheat flour

2 cups bran shreds cereal

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1 tablespoon grated orange zest

2 1/2 cups buttermilk

1/2 cup oil

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 (6-ounce) package dried fruit bits

Combine all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, bran cereal, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, allspice and orange zest in large mixing bowl. Add buttermilk, oil and eggs and mix well. Stir in fruit bits. Cover tightly and refrigerate at least 3 hours or up to 2 weeks, if desired.

Line muffin cups with paper baking cups and spoon in batter, filling 3/4 full. Bake at 400 degrees 18 to 20 minutes or until wood pick inserted in center comes out clean. Makes 24 servings.

PER SERVING: 150 calories; 3 gm protein; 25 gm carbohydrate; 4 gm fat; 160 mg sodium; 150 mg potassium.

USRDA Protein 04% Riboflavin 06% Vitamin A 04% Niacin 06% Vitamin C 02% Calcium 04% Thiamine 08% Iron 06% MEXICALI MUFFINS

1 1/4 cups flour

1 cup cornmeal

1/3 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup buttermilk powder

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1 cup water

1 egg

1/4 cup butter, melted

1/4 cup chopped green pepper

1/4 cup whole-kernel corn

Combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, soda and buttermilk powder. Reserve 2 tablespoons cheese, then stir remaining cheese into flour mixture.

Combine water, egg and butter in small bowl. Pour into flour mixture all at once, then stir until lightly blended. Batter should be lumpy. Gently fold in green pepper and corn.

Spoon mixture equally into paper-lined muffin cups and bake at 400 degrees 25 to 30 minutes or until browned. Makes 10 servings.

PER SERVING: 249 calories; 8 gm protein; 34 gm carbohydrate; 9 gm fat; 277 mg sodium; 112 mg potassium.

USRDA Protein 12% Riboflavin 13% Vitamin A 10% Niacin08% Vitamin C 09% Calcium 16% Thiamine 13% Iron 07% CARROT-NUT MUFFINS

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup whole-wheat flour

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup buttermilk powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup shredded carrots

3/4 cup chopped walnuts

3/4 cup water

1 egg

1/4 cup butter, melted

Combine flours, sugar, baking powder, soda, buttermilk powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in large bowl. Stir in carrots and nuts. Combine water, egg and butter and pour at once into dry ingredients. Mix just enough to blend (batter should be lumpy).

Pour batter into paper-lined muffin cups and bake at 400 degrees about 25 to 30 minutes or until browned. Makes 10 servings.

PER SERVING: 270 calories; 7 gm protein; 37 gm carbohydrate; 12 gm fat; 212 mg sodium; 225 mg potassium.

USRDA Protein 10% Riboflavin 11% Vitamin A 29% Niacin 08% Vitamin C 02% Calcium 08% Thiamine 15% Iron 10%