Lightened-Up Apple Muffins

Ladies and gentlemen, it officially feels like fall in Houston, Texas. On Monday, I opened the door to let my dog out (I adopted a dog!!), and as soon as I did, I felt the cool, brisk air, and I knew ahhh... it's here (at least for now). So naturally, I threw on some boots and a comfy top, ate one of these muffins for breakfast, and smiled the whole rest of the day! :)

Speaking of muffin, here we go with another Ellie Krieger-inspired recipe. I really love her stuff; I have learned a lot about how to make moist, delicious baked goods while substituting lighter ingredients. This muffin is perfect for a figure-friendly fall! It contains chunks of real apple and apple sauce (keep reading to see how lovely the inside is!), and uses ingredients such as buttermilk and whole wheat flour to keep it nice and healthy (while still tasting fantastic!). They are moist and flavorful, with a light touch of sweetness and crunch from the pecan/brown sugar/cinnamon topping. They are a wonderful breakfast or late night treat, AND they also freeze beautifully, which is my favorite part -- I can grab one in the morning, let it defrost for a couple minutes, and voila: a delicious, healthy fall breakfast in no time! And it keeps getting better...


** LIGHTENED-UP APPLE MUFFINS **
Makes 12 muffins.

Ingredients
Muffins
* 3/4 - 1 cup packed brown sugar (depending how much sweet ya want!)
* 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
* 1 cup all-purpose flour
* 1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 cup canola oil
* 2 large eggs
* 1 cup natural applesauce
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 3/4 cup lowfat buttermilk
* 1 apple, peeled, cored and cut into 1/4-inch pieces (I like Granny Smith or Honey Crisp!)

Topping
* 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 
* 1/4 cup chopped pecans

Directions
* Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
* Coat the muffin pan with cooking spray.

* In a small bowl, mix together topping ingredients.
* In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, baking soda, and salt.

* In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and oil until combined.
* Add the eggs, and whisk well after each addition.
* Whisk in the applesauce and vanilla.
* Whisk in the flour mixture in 2 batches, alternating with the buttermilk. Whisk until just combined.
 
* Stir in the apple chunks.


* Pour the batter evenly into the prepared muffin pan.
 
* Sprinkle with the pecan mixture. Tap the pan on the counter a few times to remove any air bubbles.
 
* Bake for about 18-20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean.

* Let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. If the muffins stick, run a knife around the muffins to loosen them. Before storing, let the muffins cool on a wire rack.

* Then, check out the the inside of these beauts...

... AND EAT FRESH!

Recipe adapted from Ellie Krieger.