Things have been a little different around here lately. I have been very sick and it has been hard to take care of my family. Situations like this can lead to, "Honey, please pick up dinner" and "just eat what you can find" (which means cold cereal or something worse!).
So while I had a few moments of respite and energy I whipped up these really healthy muffins. It literally took me a 1/2 hour total, from getting the ingredients out of the pantry to pulling them out of the oven.
This recipe lends itself really really well to whole grain / whole wheat flour. I usually do 1/2 and 1/2 with regular all-purpose flour, but these were fantastic using just the whole grain flour.
My kids just adore muffins - they pack them in school lunches, eat them for breakfast and snacks. Our 5 year old is completely convinced they are dessert and our two year old doesn't thinks they are cupcakes. (we don't plan on telling her differently)
Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar (if you use sweetened applesauce - cut the sugar in half)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups applesauce
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (You may want to use fewer spices if you use a spiced applesauce)
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup chopped walnuts, optional
Cinnamon-sugar, optional (I do not add this on top - I don't like the crustiness it adds to the muffins)
Directions
1. In a bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla; mix well. Stir in applesauce. Combine the flour, baking soda and spices; stir into creamed mixture. Fold in nuts.
2. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar if desired.
Yield: about 2 dozen.
