Whole Wheat Apple Muffins

Today happiness is a delicious muffin served with a hot cup of tea, taking in the cool morning breeze. The title of this muffin is a bit deceiving, as it contains 4 different kinds of fruit mixed in. I debated whether or not to simply call them "Fruit Muffins" or not. Regardless, they are scrumptious, healthy, and perfect for a morning such as we've been experiencing here lately.




Whole Wheat Apple Muffins
or Whole Wheat Fruit Muffins

2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
3/4 cup milk
1 egg
1/2 cup applesauce
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1/4 - 1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp honey
1 cup chopped apples (I recommend Granny Smith)
3/4 cup dried fruit (I used raisins, apricots, cherries, and cranberries)

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and lightly grease one 12-cup muffin tin. I made some Big Daddy muffins too, delicious!

Lightly beat egg in a small bowl. In another bowl mix dry ingredients thoroughly. In a third bowl, mix all of the remaining ingredients. Gently folding in egg. Add to the dry ingredients. Stir until barely moistened. Batter will be lumpy.

Fill greased muffin tins to the top to ensure you get those delicious, pillowy muffin tops. Bake about 20 minutes until lightly browned.

Granola

A few years ago i set out on a quest to make the perfect granola. In my searches I've come up with two very reliable recipes that I've sort of smooshed together into my own version. These would be one by of one my oldest friend's Nicole and another by Alton Brown. For me, the perfect granola is chewy, sweet, and most of all healthy. I think this recipe fulfills all of those requirements and then some. I also love how customizable it is. My husband and I have pretty different tastes when it comes to granola so I usually wind up making two different batches switching out nuts (he loves peanuts and I love almonds & walnuts) and also the fruit (I have an unspoken daily cherry regiment to keep up after all but my husband is a fan of raisins). In my opinion this is best served with Stonyfield Farm's Organic Strawberry Yogurt.


Granola

3 cups rolled oats
1 cup slivered almonds
1/3 cup chopped hazlenuts
1/3 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup coconut
3/4 tbsp pumpkin pie spice (or cinnamon in a pinch)
1/4 cup flax seeds
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup honey
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup raisins, cherries, figs, etc.

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine the oats, nuts, coconut, cinnamon, flax, wheat germ, and brown sugar. In another bowl, combine maple syrup, oil, honey, and salt. Combine both mixtures and pour onto 2 sheet pans. Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes to achieve an even color.

Remove from oven and transfer into a large bowl. Add dried fruit of your liking and enjoy!

Whole Wheat Banana Muffins

Not only are these muffins insanely good but they are also insanely good for you! No sugar, white flour, and minimal oils used make this recipe an excellent snack at any hour of the day. We love them for breakfast especially, try them heated slightly with a dollop of vanilla yogurt or peanut butter on top! A great source of fiber, folic acid, and potassium and they are low in fat. My favorite part is that they are so portable that I can give them to the kids on the go with no guilt! These are easy to freeze for later too.


WHOLE WHEAT BANANA MUFFINS

3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp wheat germ
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
4 oz cream cheese
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup honey
3 eggs
1 tbsp flax seeds
3 tbsp hot water
2 cups smooshed ripe bananas (3-5 bananas)
1/2 cup hot water

1. Stir together flour, baking soda, salt, and wheat germ.

2. Beat together olive applesauce, cream cheese, honey & baking powder. Then add olive oil.

3. Mix hot water with flax seeds and set aside to allow to dissolve. Meanwhile, beat in eggs one at a time, making sure to combine well before adding the next. After all eggs are in, add flax seeds.

4. Add bananas and mix until combined

5. Add dry ingredients to wet, alternating with hot water; mix well after each addition.

6. Spoon batter into 24 greased muffin cups; bake at 325 degrees for 22-25 minutes, or until muffins are golden brown and test done.

7. Remove from oven and cool on rack.

Try one of the optional variations: 1 tsp vanilla, 1/4 cup peanut butter, 1/4 cup frozen or fresh blueberries, 3/4 cup walnuts or pecans