Sunday, January 07, 2007

Apple-Oat Muffins


These would have to be my favorite muffins. They're moist, chewy from the oats, occasional caverns of brown sugar, and soft apple. I usually try to keep some in the freezer since I tend to make muffins in the afternoons. They're yummy alone, or if you like toppings, with some peanut butter.
I find it easier to use 8 oz. containers of plain yogurt than to measure it out after I spilled a full 32 oz. container all over me once, but yesterday I couldn't find an 8 oz container of plain yogurt at Whole Foods.

Apple-Oat Muffins
adapted from Vegetarian Times March '06
makes 10
2 1/2 cups finely diced apples (about 2 or 3 medium apples, my favorites to use are granny smith, though they seem fine with any apple)
1 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1 cup rolled (old-fashioned) oats
2/3 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 1/4 teaspoons wheat germ (optional)

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Coat the 10 cups of a standard-size muffin tin with cooking spray. Fill remaining two halfway with water.
Place apples on paper towels to drain, pat dry.
Combine flours, oats, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in medium bowl. Whisk together. If small lumps of sugar remain, that's fine. It makes it even better.
In a small bowl, whisk together yogurt, milk, oil, vanilla extract, and egg until smooth.
Make a well in center of flour mixture, stir in milk mixture just until moist. Mix in apple.
Using a #10 scoop, scoop mixture into prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle tops with wheat germ. Bake 15-20 minutes or until muffins spring back lightly when touched. Remove from pan to cool.

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