Apple Granola Muffins

Welcome to the first installment of the Valentines treat week at ZestyCook.com.  Before I get started please do not forget to sign up for the great giveaway of Grill Charms.  The contest will run through the day tomorrow and then I will announce the winners on Thursday’s post.

I have been craving homemade muffins without a huge amount of oil.  I recently picked up a new box of granola (fiber and flax) so I thought I would incorporate that into a basic muffin mixture with some apples.  This is what I came up with.  A delicious muffin, moist on the inside with a little crunch on the outside from the granola.

I was really impressed with the texture of the muffin, although I did find that maybe the apple was a little “BLAH“.  Next time, maybe I will add some flavor to the apple before hand.

Ingredients

1 Large Apple (Peeled and Cored)
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
2/3 Cup All-Purpose Flour
2/3 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
2 Tsp. Baking Powder
1 Tbsp. Ground Cinnamon
1/2 Tsp Salt
3/4 Cup Granola
4 Tbsp. Canola Oil
1 Large Egg (beaten)
1 Cup Skim Milk

Method

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Lightly grease a 12- hole muffin pan.

Place the apple and half the sugar in a bowl and set aside for 5 minutes.

Sift together remaining sugar, flour(s), baking powder, cinnamon and salt.

Stir in granola (reserving some for top of muffins).

In a small bowl, beat together remaining ingredients.  Stir this liquid into the dry ingredients and lightly stir together.

Divide the mixture among the holes in the muffin pan, filling each about 2/3 full.

Top with remaining granola.
Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until lightly brown.
Remove the muffins from the oven and turn out immediately onto a cooling rack to cool.
Serve warm or at room temperature.

ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: When mixing the dry ingredients with the wet - be sure not to over mix, lumps and some flour still showing is OK.  If you over-beat the batter, the muffins will be flat.

This was a really fun recipe to play around with.  What do you think of the pictures? I think I may have finally figured out how to focus in the front and blur in the back with my camera.  I am pretty excited.  Have an awesome Tuesday!

I think tomorrow’s special treat may make you smile.  I can’t wait to share it with you.

Take care

zesty