Morning Glory Muffins

These past few weeks have been a perpetual flow of long nights, looming deadlines and chaotic mornings.  With my nights spent in Nordic practice, playing at basketball games with our school's pep band, and agonizing over the stacks of homework that require my attention, my mornings have become a hectic scramble to finish assignments, cram for tests, and attempt to get everything ready before tumbling out the door to catch the bus. 

The other morning as I stepped onto the sidewalk, about to begin my hurried walk to the bus stop, I paused. Just to stop and breathe. It was for only a few seconds, but in that moment I let my obligations and preoccupations just slip away. 

It was a clear morning and I could see the still lake and the mountains in the distance, painted in soft hues of blue and purple. And for the first time in a while I was filled with a great appreciation for the beauty of Vermont and for the quiet and stillness of the morning. I realized that in the midst of all of my chaos there remained a quiet and peacefulness to the morning.

When the weekend came, I wanted to make a batch of hearty and tasty muffins to have for breakfast, so I took some of my favorite things to eat and bake with and put them all in these muffins.  A crisp, tart apple from the fridge, the rich flavor of coconut that evokes memories of a balmy climate, and the sweet, earthy tones of grated carrot. A half a cup of honey lends its sweetness and complexity to the muffins, and gracefully ties together tart apple, carrot, and subtle notes of coconut. 

On a whim, I decided to top some of the muffins with toasted walnut pieces. The walnuts complimented the other ingredients and added a bit of texture and crunch.

Each piece combined to make sweet, wholesome muffins to be savored with the stillness of the morning.