Joyfully Retired

Last week I was telling you about making muffins for Christmas morning. I did just that this week for a big multi-family celebration. They all turned out fine and earned the multi-yummm award. I made cherry lemon, a cranberry pecan, and an apple-oatmeal-walnut-raisin-date-multi-flour muffin. It’s the last one I want to tell you about.

I’ve been trying to find a muffin that would be a good “breakfast-on-the-go.” Here are my requirements. I want a muffin that is:

• nutritious
• provides early morning energy
• not sugary sweet
• be chewy and crunchy
• moist but not gooey
• last, but not least, it has to taste good

I’ve been experimenting with this for quite some time, trying to get just the right combination. It’s not perfect yet  but I’m to the point of sharing the recipe. When a friend gave me a jar of her homemade, home-canned, organic applesauce I decided to name it after her little three acre farm. Thus, here is the recipe for Golden Nectar Muffins.

Put these dry ingredients in a large bowl and whisk to combine:

• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup ground flax seed
• 1 cup while all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoons ground ginger

In a separate bowl, stir together:

• 1 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 3/4 cup chunky unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla

Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and add:

• 1 cup chopped nuts (I used walnuts)
• 1/3 cup raisins
• 1/3 cup chopped dates
• 1 apple peeled, cored and chopped

Stir only until everything is mixed. Don’t over stir it. Grease muffin cups or line with paper liners. Fill cups 2/3 full. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.

To test to make sure they are done, stick a toothpick in the center. If it’s clean, it’s done. When they are done, cool on a rack for about 10 minutes. Then remove from the muffin tins and continue to cool on the rack or serve warm. It made 16 medium sized muffins.

I can’t promise I won’t keep tinkering with this recipe. It’s actually kind of fun to see what I can come up with each time I make a change. If you try this, let me know what you think.

For more food talk visit Weekend Cooking at Beth Fish Reads.