cabbage muffins (sweet or savory)

cabbage muffins???

i know. i'm just so excited about this soaking thing and then i discovered that i really had a hankerin' for cabbage. i'm on the fast-five diet, so i only get to eat once a day, so i'm trying to find ways to pack it all into one healthy meal AND utilize my new-found, muffin-making talents. i wondered if you could throw cabbage into a muffin like carrots or zucchini.

i went looking around on the net and found an old German recipe for cabbage muffins with a savory flair and i converted it to a whole wheat recipe, and then switched it from savory to sweet/whole wheat.

the whole wheat muffins reminded me of a strong celery flavored dressing (stuffing) and they were THE BOMB with homemade chili!

the sweet reminded me of zuchinni bread and i thought they would just be over the top with some cream cheese frosting (recipe also included).


TO SOAK OVERNIGHT: (for either recipe)

1 3/4 cup fresh ground whole (hard red) wheat
3/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

mix vinegar and milk in a bowl.
allow to sit and thicken for a bit (5-10 minutes).
add and incorporate flour until consistent texture.
cover (i use an airtight pyrex bowl or saran wrap) and soak for 7-24 hours.


NEXT DAY:

2 eggs
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 cups shredded cabbage

beat eggs in new bowl.
add oil and beat until well emulsified.
add salt and baking powder.


FOR SAVORY add:

1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon celery seed
1/2 teaspoon onion powder

FOR SWEET add:

1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg


mix well.
fold in cabbage until batter is consistent texture.
spoon (3/4 to full) into muffin pans prepared with paper liners.
bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
makes 18 muffins.


FROSTING:

16 oz cream cheese softened
1/3 cup honey
2 teaspoons vanilla

whip together until smooth.
spread onto sweet muffins.
chill and/or serve.

NOTE: i tried to half the recipe because i only had a little bit of cream cheese left and i miscalculated the honey. i actually put double the amount of honey i needed and they were pretty darn good, but the recipe above is the one i started with.