March 23, 2003 – Porridge has long been a West Indian staple in the morning. It might be made with cornmeal, oatmeal or cream of wheat. If you don't have the time or inclination to sit down to — let alone prepare — a bowlful of hot cereal for breakfast, you can get the same nutrition and flavor eating on the run with the following three recipes that turn porridge fixings into muffins.
Cornmeal Muffins
1 1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
3/4 cup flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoons salt
1 egg
3 tablespoons melted butter or margarine
1 cup milk
Preheat oven to 425°̊F.
In a large mixing bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
In a smaller mixing bowl, beat together the egg, melted butter or margarine and milk.
Add egg mixture to cornmeal mixture; stir just until moistened. Spoon batter into greased or paper-lined muffin pan. Bake 15 minutes or until light golden brown.
Makes 10 muffins. Per muffin: 143 calories, 5 gms fat (34 percent fat calories), 303 mg sodium, 34 mg cholesterol.
Oatmeal and Dried Fruit Muffins
1 cup flour
1 cup uncooked rolled oats
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup milk
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup chopped dried mixed fruits
Preheat oven to 400°̊F.
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, oatmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt; set aside.
In a smaller mixing bowl, beat together the egg, milk and oil.
Add egg mixture to oatmeal mixture. Stir in mixed dried fruits; stir just until moistened. Spoon batter into greased or paper-lined muffin pan. Bake 15 minutes or until light golden brown.
Makes 12 muffins. Per muffin: 165 calories, 5 gms fat (27 percent fat calories), 32 mg cholesterol, 288 mg sodium.
Jam-filled Cream of Wheat Muffins
1 1/2 cups flour
2 cups cream of wheat hot cereal (it can be the 1-minute, 2 1/2-minute or 10-minute cook time variety), uncooked
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon poppy seed
1 8 oz. container lowfat vanilla yogurt
2 eggs
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1/3 cup mango jam
Preheat oven to 350°̊F.
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, cereal, sugar, baking powder, lemon peel and poppy seeds; set aside.
In a smaller mixing bowl, beat together the yogurt, eggs and butter until well combined.
Add egg mixture to flour mixture; stir just until moistened Spoon batter into greased or paper-lined muffin pan.
Bake 20 minutes or until light golden brown.
Makes 12 muffins. Per serving: 200 calories, 5 gms fat (23 percent fat calories), 47 mg cholesterol, 252 mg sodium.

Publisher's note : Like the St. Thomas Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.