By Josette Keelor — Daily Staff Writer

Need an idea for a romantic Valentine's breakfast? Looking for something quick to munch on rushing out the door to work?

The answer could already be in your kitchen.

Muffins are an easy-to-make dish that many people consider to be luxury items for the weekend or a last-minute pick at a coffee shop, but they can actually be the solution to almost any breakfast dilemma.

Valentine's Day tends to feature sweets, but if starting the morning out on a sugar rush is unappealing, a muffin might be just the thing.

"Muffins aren't real, real sweet," says Cindy Abramo, owner of Old Town Bakery, Cafe and Sweets in Winchester. "They're not like a cupcake, more like coffee cake, slightly sweet."

For a nutritious snack or a balanced breakfast, pairing a blueberry or orange cranberry muffin with some fresh fruit and yogurt could be just what you need.

On the other hand, for a sweet treat, a chocolate chip muffin would go over well with children and chocolate-lovers alike.

Pat Sylvester, owner of The Hockman Manor House Bed and Breakfast in Edinburg, says she enjoys eating chocolate at least once a day. She recommends making her lemon chocolate chip muffins, which contain lemon rind and are topped with lemon juice and sugar. Banana nut muffins and wholesome oat muffins are some options that she provides for those who do not have as big of a sweet tooth.

For a spin on breakfast for the 14th, Sylvester suggests baking muffins in a heart-shaped mold. Preparing muffins with the children will also add some fun to the holiday.

Luckily, having a muffin, with or without chocolate, does not have to unravel a diet.

"I don't think that they're necessarily unhealthy," says Abramo. Muffins, she says, contain milk and eggs, often feature fruit and do not have that much sugar. She suggests substituting applesauce as a sweetener for those trying to avoid sugar. Another option is Splenda, which Abramo says works great for people who cannot have sugar and measures the same as the higher calorie sweetener.

Substituting whole wheat flour for white also would add nutrients to a batch of muffins.

The size of the muffins and the ingredients will determine how healthy they are.

"Everything in moderation, I think, really is the key," Abramo says. "I make mine at a cupcake size." She says that this is a good size for a muffin, as opposed to the larger ones that stores tend to carry.

"I don't eat the big, giant ones that people like to eat," she says.

If calories are a concern, sharing a muffin with a loved-one could start the day off right, also providing a moment to relax with family before work.

Abramo says that muffins also can be part of a quick school day breakfast.

"Muffins don't take that long," she says, explaining that they will bake in 20-25 minutes, or fewer for smaller ones. She recommends baking miniature muffins for 12-15 minutes.

Baking muffins in a convection oven also will help them to cook faster, since it uses forced air to cook all around, as opposed to a conventional oven, which uses direct heating. For regular-sized muffins, set the oven at 400 degrees; for baking oversized muffins, Abramo suggests dropping the temperature to 375 and then testing to see if the muffins are done by sticking a toothpick into each and seeing if any batter clings to the toothpick. If it comes out clean, then the muffins are done.

"I recommend that — doing the toothpick test," she says. Because baking times can vary, depending on the oven, just setting it for a specified amount of time might not work for everyone.

Baking several muffins at one time will save having to figure out what to have for breakfast in the days to follow.

"They'll last as long as you want," Abramo says, advising people to freeze the muffins that they will not eat right away.

She does not, however, recommend making the batter ahead of time and trying to save it for several days, because the eggs will separate from the rest of the mixture.

For variety, Abramo suggests stirring up a basic muffin batter, then dividing it into different bowls and adding different ingredients. That way, a 12-muffin pan might bake four or more different kinds of muffins, which will satisfy everyone in the family.

Abramo's favorite flavor of muffin is orange cranberry, but she says just about any kind of fruit can be used. Fresh cranberries can be used, although she recommends the dried Ocean Spray cranberries, especially in winter. Frozen fruit also works well, she says, and will not "bleed" into the muffin batter as the muffins are baking.

Some other muffin flavors that Abramo suggests are blueberry, raspberry, banana, pumpkin and apple cinnamon. She also makes ginger pear muffins with some almonds. For a very healthy muffin, Abramo suggests using bran.

Easy muffin recipe

3/4 cup milk

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 egg

2 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup fresh or frozen berries

*Adding still frozen fruit diminishes "bleeding." Make sure to thoroughly knock off any ice clinging to fruit

Beat milk, oil and egg. Stir in flour, sugar, baking powder and salt all at once.

Fold in fruit. Top with streusel and bake in muffin cups (12 regular size).

Bake at 400 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.

Variations:

Substitute fruit with any of the following:

1 tablespoon grated orange and 1 cup cranberries

1 cup diced apples, 1/4 cup raisins and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup diced pears and 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped crystallized ginger

Streusel topping:

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons firm butter

Mix all together.

— Source: Cindy Abramo, owner of Old Town Bakery, Cafe and Sweets in Winchester

*Contact Josette Keelor at jkeelor@nvdaily.com