Have you ever wondered if you can make use of those green tomatoes that are still hanging on the vine at the end of the season?
I hate to waste food. Even GREEN tomatoes!
I just can’t bare to let anything go to waste, especially when it’s food I have grown in my backyard, from plants started in the spring. Plants that Poo and I watered and slaved over all summer long.
Even the green tomatoes, blemishes and all.
What to do? That is, aside from Fried Green Tomatoes…….
I found a very good recipe a couple of years ago for a Green Tomato Cake from Allrecipes.com, which I made gluten free by switching out the flour. I served it for dessert at our Super Bowl party and it was a hit.
Poo and I asked everyone, at the party, if they knew what the chunks in the cake were and no one even suspected that it was green tomato, much less that it was gluten free.
And …….. are you wondering how in the heck I had green tomatoes readily available to make this sweet treat in February for the Super Bowl?
The freezer, my friend.
Just dice the tomatoes and store in freezer-safe baggies or containers. (I freeze 2 cups at a time, in sandwich size bags, and pull out a baggie whenever I want to make the muffins.)
When something taste so good though, if you’re like me, you’re thinking in the back of your head, How can I make this recipe healthier?
I must acknowledge that this particular recipe isn’t too bad, but I’ve tweaked it …………. Ok, more than tweaked it. 🙂
However, let’s face it ………… not everyone likes, or wants, a healthier version of a sweet treat. If you’re nodding your head in agreement, just check out the original recipe, which you can access from the above link. It calls for 2 cups of sugar, butter and whole eggs. Have at it!
Now ……… if you are “Team Katy,” let me tell you what I did to shake up this recipe. I transformed it into a heart healthy version by lowering the fat content considerably, (less than 1g per serving). I have lowered the carbs, made it a bit higher in protein, lowered the calories, lowered the sodium and eliminated the cholesterol completely. And, it’s gluten free.
Drumroll please …………..
Green Tomato Spice Muffins.
*Makes 15 generous size muffins
Ingredients:
- 4 c green tomatoes, diced
- 1/2 t salt (to sprinkle on tomatoes)
- 92 g liquid egg whites (or 2 large eggs)
- 1/2 c unsweetened applesauce
- 1 c sugar
- 2 c buckwheat flour
- 1 t baking soda
- 1 t cinnamon
- 1 t nutmeg
- 1/4 t salt (to add to recipe)
- 1/2 c raisins
- 1/2 c walnuts chopped, optional
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Put diced tomatoes in a colander, sprinkle with a little salt, and let them drain (minimum of 10 minutes) in the sink until you’re ready to mix them into the batter. (You will rinse them in cold water before adding to batter).
- In medium sized bowl, mix together the wet ingredients: egg whites, applesauce, sugar and set aside.
- In another bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, raisins & nuts (if using).
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture.
- Add the rinsed tomatoes and mix well.
- Use a large cookie scoop to fill a non-stick muffin tin.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or use a toothpick to test for doneness.
Nutritional Information: Cal =141, P = 3.5g, carb = 31.8g, F =0.7g, *Does not include nuts
Editor’s Comments: This muffin is not super sweet. After you have made them and feel they don’t have enough sweetness, mix together a little powdered sugar with water and vanilla extract to make a glaze and brush on top of each muffin. It gives it just the right boost of sweetness without adding a lot of unnecessary sugar. Or ……. add a little jam. Or ……. my homemade Jalapeño Jelly (click here for recipe).
“Gardening is cheaper than therapy, and you get tomatoes.”
xoxo, Katy