Apples Galore!

Every day at the school where I teach, the kids receive a basket full of fruit and vegetables, most of which go untouched. Right before Thanksgiving break, we had about 15 apples left over. I decided to take them home and bring them back to school in the form of muffins to share with the kids and staff as a little Thanksgiving treat. I followed a recipe from Cooking Light with only slight alterations. They turned out wonderfully moist and sweet and, best of all, delicious! They have very little butter or fat, so in addition to being delicious, they truly are nutritious.


Apple Muffins with Walnut Streusel (Cooking Light, May 2005)

The recipe calls for 3/4 cup ground flaxseed. We decided, both because we didn't have flaxseed and because we're slightly scared of flaxseed, to substitute oats, which worked perfectly.

Muffins:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup ground flaxseed
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup 1% low-fat milk (we used skim)
1/2 cup orange juice
1 Tbs. butter, melted
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 cup finely chopped Granny Smith apple (about 1 large)
1/2 cup golden raisins
cooking spray

Streusel:
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
2 Tbs. brown sugar
1 Tbs. chilled butter, cut into small pieces

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. To prepare muffins, lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flours, flaxseed, and next 4 ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Make a well in center of mixture.
3. Combine milk and next 4 ingredients, stirring with a whisk; add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Fold in apple and raisins. Spoon batter into 18 muffin cups coated with cooking spray.
4. To prepare streusel, combine walnuts, 2 Tbs. brown sugar, and chilled butter in a small bowl, stirring with a fork until crumbly. Sprinkle streusel evenly over batter. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until muffins spring back when touched lightly in center. Remove from pans immediately; place on wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.