What do you do on a Saturday morning? I like to bake some Saturday mornings - after baby has gone to bed and husband is outside mowing the lawn. A bit of me time to potter in the kitchen. Although there are mornings which I wake up on the wrong side of the bed and don't want to do a thing and everything about the day seems wrong.

I call them my cranky pants days and I unfortunately have had them the last two Saturday mornings. I think I am still trying to adjust to having a baby in the house. Saturday's are just not the same - for me they are like any other day. I doubt they will ever be the same again for a long time! No leisurely sleep in's and lazy morning breakfasts. No popping out to the shops for a browse or grabbing a cuppa with out a baby on the hip or trying to console an overtired baby who hasn't had their morning nap. The spontaneity of life has halted for the time being.

Mummy's don't get weekends, holidays or RDO's and I am also struggling with that fact as well. Mummy's work all day every day. I know this is a bit of a whinge on my behalf because I am truly blessed to have such a special little man in our life and most days I enjoy being a mum. I just miss my weekends. My sleepins. My ME time. Whinge over!

Anyway whinging aside - I made these muffins one cheerful Saturday morning, when I didn't have my cranky pants on. The base of the muffin is my favourite go-to muffin recipe. It's moist, fluffy and just a little bit more-ish. I used coconut oil instead of butter which gave it the muffin's crumb a really melt-in-your-mouth texture. I also tossed in a few add-ins to the recipe such as dessicated coconut, chocolate chips and for a bit of healthyness, Goji Berries.

What is a Goji Berry you may ask? Well I will tell you

The goji berry is also called the wolfberry. It is a bright orange-red berry that comes from a shrub that's native to China. In Asia, goji berries have been eaten for generations in the hopes of living longer. The goji berry has many health benefits attached to it. They are filled with powerful antioxidants and other compounds that may help prevent cancer and other illnesses, including heart disease. Antioxidants may also boost the immune system and lower cholesterol.

So who wouldn't want to put Goji berries in their muffins if it could make them live longer! The flavour of the berry itself is a bit hard to describe it has a certain meatyness to it in texture and flavour, not tart but not super sweet either. They are a little bit more expensive then your run of the mill cranberry or sultana however I enjoyed the subtley that the Goji berry brings this muffin or any baked good really.

There is something about the waft of freshly baked muffins tantalizing your taste buds on a crisp saturday morning. I know hubby loved to come in and sniff the air after I have pulled these morsels out of the oven. That's one of the reasons I love to bake. The satisfaction of the customer not only in taste but in the whiff of something good about. Alongside a good cup of coffee and the paper this is the perfect Saturday morning snack - just leave your cranky pants in the back of the cupboard! I know I will be this weekend.

Coconut, Choc Chip & Goji Berry Muffin

by The Whimscial Wife

Prep Time: 15 min

Cook Time: 25 min

Ingredients (12 muffins)

Dry Ingredients

2 cups self raising flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup dessiccated coconut
1/8 cup goji berries
1/8 cup dark choc chips (or combination of white chocolate & dark)

Wet Ingredients

100g coconut oil/butter, melted
1 1/4 cup milk
1 egg, lightly beaten

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180 degree C. Line a 12 hole muffin tin with muffin papers.

In a large bowl sift the flour, cinnamon and salt. Place the coconut, choc chips and sugar into the sifted ingredients and stir briefly to combine.

In a small ball place the melted coconut oil, milk and egg and whisk to combine. Pour into the dry ingredients, using a wooden spoon stir to combine the mixture until all ingredients are mixed through.

Fill the muffin papers up 3/4 full with the mixture. Repeat until all the mixture is used up.

Place into the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and cool slightly before devouring.

Make sure you serve these warm from the oven - you cannot miss the oozy chocolate dripping out of the muffin. Perfection.