Apple Cranberry Pumpkin Muffins

Adapted from The Eat-Clean Diet Cookbook: Great-Tasting Recipes That Keep You Lean

These are a nice breakfast treat. There is no one overpowering flavor in these muffins. Instead the flavors blend well, resulting in a nice, moist, slightly dense muffin.

You will need:

• 1 C uncooked oatmeal, plain
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 C all purpose flour
• 1/4 C whole-wheat flour
• 1/4 C sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 C apple juice
• 1/2 C unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 C canned pumpkin
• 3 eggs
• canola oil
• 1/2 C dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 375 F

Prepare a muffin tin.

In a medium bowl combine oatmeal, pumpkin, applesauce, juice, eggs and oil. Mix until well blended.

In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients. Make a well in the center and pour in wet ingredients. Mix until dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in the cranberries. 

Spoon muffin tins 2/3 full. 

Bake 15-18 minutes or until lightly browned on top. 

Catch these when they are warm, spread a little butter on top, and enjoy! Makes ~12 muffins.

Snickerdoodle Muffins

Snickerdoodle cookies are a family favorite. This is the muffin version of those cookies.

I like to make my mini. A more suitable size for my kids, and more melt-in-your-mouth!

You will need:

• cooking spray for muffin tins
• 1/3 c butter, melted
• 1/2 C white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1.5 C all purpose flour
• 1.5 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 C milk

Topping:

• 1/4 C white sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 C butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 F. 

In a medium bowl, mix together dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients and stir until well mixed. 

Scoop batter into a prepared muffin tins (fill each one 3/4 full). This makes ~24 mini muffins (or 10-12 regular sized ones). 

Bake for 18-22 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix sugar and cinnamon in a small shallow dish. Place melted butter in a second small shallow dish. 

When the muffins are done, cool in tins until you are able to handle them. Then dip the top of each muffin in the butter and then in the sugar/cinnamon. Cool completely on a cookie rack. 

Enjoy! These are fantastic when they are still warm!

Here is a simple baby gift idea...

A couple in our small group just had a baby girl and I made this pretty package to give them.

I used a heart-shaped basket, lined it first with parchment paper, and then a layer of saran wrap. I filled it with the muffins, wrapped the muffins up in the saran and parchment paper. 

Then I wrapped the whole thing in tulle and closed it first with a pipe cleaner, and then pink ribbon. Simple and sweet!

Raspberry Lemon Muffins

Ease: 4/5     Kid-friendliness: 5/5     Taste: 5/5     Time: 4/5

Prep: 12 minutes
Cooking time: 17 minutes

Back in the summer, I had the luxury of having access to my in-laws raspberry bushes. I picked berries to my heart's delight. I happen to love raspberries, a love shared by my two kids. After two containers of raspberries were put into my freezer I went hunting for new raspberry recipes. This is one that everyone loved. The muffins were so moist and not overly sweet.

What you'll need:

• 1/2 cup plain low fat yogurt
• 3 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
• 1 1/2 C all-purpose flour
• 3/4 C white sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup frozen or fresh raspberries

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners.

In a large bowl, mix together the yogurt, oil, lemon juice, eggs, and lemon extract. 

In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, and mix until just blended. Gently stir in the raspberries. 

Spoon batter evenly into the prepared muffin cups.

Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick comes out clean, or until the top springs back when lightly touched. Cool muffins in the tin on a wire rack. Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Allrecipes.com