Pistachios and pomegranates give these muffins a unique flavor and texture. (Photo by Tressa Dale/Peninsula Clarion)

Pistachios and pomegranates give these muffins a unique flavor and texture. (Photo by Tressa Dale/Peninsula Clarion)

A chef is born

Pistachio and pomegranate muffins celebrate five years growing and learning in the kitchen

When he saw that I had pomegranates on the counter, he pulled a chair over to stand on so he could help me break them down. He reached down into the water to swirl the crimson fruit and pulled up sample after sample while I worked. I looked at his face and remembered my chubby baby, my little muffin, sitting on the counter beside me four years ago, staining his shirt with pomegranate juice and not being very helpful at all.

My big kid helped me take the fruit out of the water to dry and carefully moved them into an old yogurt tub without letting a single one fall to the ground. He asked me questions about where the fruit grows, if we can grow them here, and made suggestions for where in our yard a pomegranate tree would be best. He is always full of questions and suggestions these days.

My sweet baby turns 5 this week and is having his first big birthday party with all his friends from school. As I was writing the invitations, he kept coming to the table to make sure his best friends, a pair of twin boys, would be coming (they will). It makes me very proud to watch him develop friendships and navigate the complexities of social life with such ease. It’s no wonder, I guess, that he turned out to be so outgoing… his mom is a bird who really likes to chirp.

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

Over the last five years, we have spent a lot of time together in the kitchen. The morning after we brought him home, I held him in the baby wrap while I cooked my breakfast. When he was 1, he would sit on the counter and smile his gummy smile as I explained what I was doing. When he was 2, he put his hands in everything and counted carrot sticks. When he was 3, he wanted to mix and measure and pour. When he was 4, he started peeling vegetables and spreading peanut butter. Maybe, now that he’s 5, he can get to work on the dishes.

My little muffin man helped me make some pistachio pomegranate muffins this weekend. These muffins are sweet and nutty, and the tart pops of pomegranate give them an unexpected texture.

Pistachio and Pomegranate Muffins

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, melted and cooled

1 cup sugar

¾ cup raw unsalted pistachios, shelled (plus ½ cup roughly chopped)

2/3 cup pomegranate arils

1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 cup milk

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease or line your muffin tins with liners. This recipe makes about 20 muffins.

In the bowl of your food processor or high-powered blender, combine the sugar and ¾ cup pistachios and process until finely ground.

Add in the flour, baking powder, and salt, and pulse to combine.

In a large mixing bowl whisk together the eggs, milk, vanilla extract, and almond extract.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until smooth.

Fold in the ½ cup chopped pistachios and the pomegranate. Reserve just a handful of each to sprinkle on top of the batter.

Portion the batter into the liners, filling to about 3/4 full.

Top the muffins with a few pistachios and pomegranate for decoration.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, rotating halfway, until the tops spring back when you touch them.

Cool completely before storing in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

More in Life

In the 1990s, Poopdeck Platt enjoys some sunshine in front of The Saltry, in Halibut Cove. (Photo courtesy of Ken Moore)
Poopdeck: Nearly a century of adventure — Part 2

The story of Poopdeck Platt, who lived in Homer for nearly half a century, began in the American Northwest.

Nick Varney
Unhinged Alaska: Winter ya gotta be kidding me

When is this erratic weather going to chill with the schizoid act?

Beef empanadas are served with mixed greens and corn. (Photo by Tressa Dale/Peninsula Clarion)
Empanadas for the inquisitive

These savory beef empanadas are filling and flavorful, perfect fuel for a growing mind.

The cast of the Kenai Performers’ “Little Shop of Horrors” rehearse at the Kenai Performers Theater near Soldotna on Saturday, Feb. 15. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Chewing scenery

Blood-thirsty plant takes center stage in ‘Little Shop of Horrors’.

Ben Whishaw voices Paddington in "Paddington in Peru." (Promotional image courtesy Sony Pictures)
Paddington returns with Peruvian quest

The film follows Paddington’s “Indiana Jones”-style adventure to find the lost city of El Dorado.

Brewers from Turnagain Brewery hand a freshly filled cup to an attendee at the 10th Annual Frozen River Fest in Soldotna, Alaska, on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Frozen RiverFest marks 10 years celebrating brews

Brewers from the Kenai Peninsula and beyond could be seen filling cups and sharing their craft.

Jackson Hooper, Oshie Broussard, Belle Morris and Kincaid Jenness perform “Shakespeare Abridged” during the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Drama, Debate and Forensics Invitational at Soldotna High School on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
‘Theater for theater kids who want to take it a bit more seriously’

Peninsula students compete at Soldotna DDF invitational.

Creamy pasta is served with smoked salmon and Parmesan. (Photo by Tressa Dale/Peninsula Clarion)
A dish for the mourning

Smoked salmon fettuccine served in a time of grief.

Artwork by Anastasia Clyde is seen as part of the inaugural exhibition of “Spirit of Soldotna: Showcasing Student Art” in Soldotna City Hall on Wednesday. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna opens student art showcase in city hall

The ongoing exhibition is a collaboration between Soldotna and the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District and Kenai Peninsula College.

Most Read