A Vegan Morning: Herbed Black Quinoa Muffins

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Grab a glass of green juice, freshly brewed coffee, and start your mornings with these herb quinoa muffins. Made with the king of grains, protein-rich quinoa, these muffins provide a hefty dose of muscle-building amino acids. They're rich in omega 3 fatty acids, slow-burning carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals - nothing like their nutrient-deprived counterparts. Constructed from hand picked, natural ingredients, savory flavors are used to create a new spin on the morning classic. We pulled this perfect A.M. recipe from chef Amy Chaplin's latest cookbook, At Home in the Whole Foods Kitchen, this plant-based creation is only one of many soul-nourishing recipes that lie between the pages of this book. It contains vegan and naturally gluten-free staple recipes — from simple every day meals to special occasion dishes. And the book's recipes are organized into two parts. Part one explores the pantry, with everything you need to know to stock your kitchen with nutrient rich ingredients. Part two celebrates each season with recipes that show off local produce at its peak, such as chia pudding and butternut squash lasagna. Here's Amy with a few notes on how she created our new favorite breakfast recipe... The first time I tested this muffin recipe and ate one warm from the oven, I couldn’t believe how much I enjoyed it. The mashed sweet potato in the batter adds a pleasantly moist and sweet background to the onions, herbs, and delicate crunch of black quinoa. For a variation, try substituting winter squash for the sweet potato and adding rosemary in place of thyme. You can also use ½ cup of any leftover cooked grain in place of the black quinoa. Toasted pecans or walnuts are a tasty addition to the mix too. Whatever you use, your kitchen will smell inviting, and you’ll end up with a delectable savory treat.