Diet-specific recipes usually aren't our thing, but we thought this one might be worth a shot. We were intrigued to see sour cream on the ingredient list and liked the fact that this recipe didn't rely on any ingredient substitutes to achieve its healthiness. Here's the verdict...
Overall, we thought these muffins were pretty darn good! They were a bit dense and chewy, but in a way we found pleasing and very enjoyable to bite into! The tender bits of pear made a good texture contrast and we also liked getting the little shots of fruit flavor in each bite.
We also liked that the muffins weren't overly sweet. They could have used a bit more spice, though. Next time we'll bump up the cinnamon by another half teaspoon and try adding a pinch of nutmeg. Some crystallized ginger mixed into the batter with the pears would also boost the flavor without adding many more calories!
The glaze added a nice note of sweetness, but not so much that it felt like we were eating a cupcake. We couldn't really taste the ginger in the glaze, though, and think the recipe would be better served if the ginger went into the batter instead.
The muffins are certainly still delicious even without the glaze - you could leave them plain if you want to trim off a few more calories or avoid extra messiness while eating on the go.
Also, the portion sizes were just right. Many low-fat and diet recipes tend to skimp on the serving size as a way to "cut calories," leaving us feeling unsatisfied. One of these muffins was perfect for a quick breakfast or mid-day snack.
In Weight-Watcher's language, these muffins are three points each. We used the MasterCook calorie-counter program to figure out the nutritional information and came up with 163 calories, 3 grams of fat, 3 grams of protein, and 1 gram of fiber per muffin. Not too shabby, really!
We'll definitely be keeping this recipe in our rotation and look forward to trying it with other fruits as they come into season!
• Glazed Pear Muffins from Weight Watchers
Related: Diet Cookbooks: What's Left After the Fad Passes?
(Images: Emma Christensen for the Kitchn)
I'll be curious to hear how they stale. The problem I find with recipes like this one is that they stale quickly and don't do well in the freezer. And, since the whole idea is portion control, that means you end up with a lot of wasted muffins.
http://danamccauley.wordpress.com
view Dana McCauley's profile
That's a really good point, Dana. I'll go put some in the freezer right now to see how they do when thawed.
I'm also thinking that this would be a fairly easy recipe to cut in half. I'll probably do that next time I make them.
view EmmaC's profile
I'm pretty sure I have all these ingredients at home. Except I have d'anjou pears on hand. Does anyone know if it would be ok to substitue the pears? I was itching to bake this weekend, and I would love to give these a try!
view UptownGirl's profile
I'm sure you can substitute those pears! Go for it! Honestly, I think any fruit would do well in this recipe - some might "melt" into the muffin a little more instead of holding their shape, but the muffins will still be delicious.
view EmmaC's profile
these sound really good! i might try caramelizing the pears a bit with some ginger and maybe some brown sugar first and then skipping the glaze. seems like it would make them a lot more flavorful and less messy. what do you think?
view ellenp1214's profile
**Update** I made these, and they ARE very yummy! Here's my effort:
http://erinsfoodfiles.blogspot.com/2009/02/ginger-glazed-pear-muffins.html
Thanks for posting this healthy recipe!
view UptownGirl's profile