Recipe: Apple-Pecan Muffins

Everyone loves a muffin for breakfast or a snack. I especially like making up a batch of muffins the night before a busy morning. Makes breakfast time a breeze. The only problem with muffins is they ae often calorie-laden. And lacking in nutrients.

But never fear. This recipe from Ellie Krieger’s The Food You Crave: Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Lifehas only 213 calories per serving. The addition of both fresh apples and applesauce means you’re getting some decent nutrients as well. The applesauce keeps the muffins moist without adding a large amount of fat, only 1/4 cup of canola oil is used and no butter. I made the recipe as is, with the exception of adding 1/2 teaspoon apple pie spice to the batter. I wanted to make sure they had plenty of flavor. And boy did they- and made breakfast a breeze for 3 mornings in a row!

Apple-Pecan Muffins

• Cooking Spray
• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole grain pastry flour or whole-wheat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon apple pie spice
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup natural unsweetened apple sauce
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup lowfat buttermilk
• 1 Golden Delicious apple, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and coat a 12-cup muffin span with cooking spray.
2. In a small bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons brown sugar, pecans and cinnamon. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, apple pie spice, baking soda, and salt.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together the remaining 3/4 cup brown sugar and oil. Whisk in the eggs one at a time. Add applesauce and vanilla and whisk to combine. Add flour mixture in 2 batches, stirring in with a wooden spoon and alternating with buttermilk. Stir just until combined and then fold in diced apple.
5. Divide batter among muffin cups, filling 2/3 full. Sprinkle evenly with brown sugar-pecan mixture. Bake until muffins are set all the way through, about 20 minutes. Let cool on wire rack 10-15 minutes before removing from pan. Best eaten warm. Store in refrigerator.

Yield: 12 muffins

Recipe Source: adapted slightly from Ellie Krieger

More Muffin Recipes

Banana Protein Muffins

Caramel Apple Muffins

Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

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