My defining quality is indecision. I try hard to overcome it, but applying logic doesn’t help. Simplicity is usually the way forward, and I do my best to make snap decisions that won’t lead me down the analytical vortex of pros and cons, questions and their thoughtful answers.
When I wake up early, before Alex, I like to decide to make him breakfast. But when I have a bunch of work I’m hoping to cross off my list, then I wind up in a dilemma: flip pancakes for half an hour, or quit procrastinating and settle down to write? Down the rabbit hole of indecision I go: pancakes are love (see #2), so there’s that. But work needs to get done, too, and there’s no time like the present.
Fortunately, I recently solved the breakfast indecision in a new way: with muffins. The batter for these lemon muffins is no more difficult to throw together than pancake batter–in fact it’s practically the same–but once you’ve scraped it into a muffin tin, there’s nothing to do but wait. And work. No constant attention–flipping–required.
And these are muffins worthy expressions of love, you don’t have to worry about that. They are moist and rich, and only a touch sweet. They’re not the type to be confused with a cupcake. If anything, they’re like pancakes, blown up big and smothered in lemon glaze.
From my kitchen, albeit small, to yours,
Cara, THE QUARTER-LIFE COOK
**Recipe**

Glazed Lemon Muffins
Makes 10
Ingredients
For the muffins
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour or kamut flour or just more all-purpose flour
zest of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 eggs
1 cup almond milk
1/2 cup safflower or canola oil
For the glaze
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush 10 muffin tins thoroughly with oil.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, flours, lemon zest, salt, and baking powder.
In a smaller mixing bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the almond milk and oil and whisk to combine.
Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and fold together with a rubber spatula. There may be a few lumps, but that’s okay.
Distribute the batter evenly among 10 muffins tins. Using a liquid measuring cup, fill the two empty tins about halfway with water. (This prevents the pan from getting damaged in the oven.)
Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the muffins have risen and are slightly golden. They should bounce back when you press down with your finger. Remove from a pan using a small offset spatula and place on a cooling rack set over a piece of parchment paper.
Make the glaze: whisk the sugar and lemon juice together in a small, microwavable prep bowl. Microwave at intervals of 5 seconds, stirring between each, until the sugar is dissolved.
Prick each muffin a few times with a fork. Spoon the glaze over each muffins. Eat immediately, or within the hour, or at the very least on the same day.



















