Recipe: Clean-Eating Applesauce Oatmeal Muffins!

So I have this little thing I like to call a sweet tooth. I'm not really sure where it developed, or when, but it's definitely there, and most nights I find myself craving something (anything!) sweet after dinner. I typically try not to eat past 7, and while I'm not much of a late eater anyway, I do like a little sweet treat here and there. I try to minimize the amount of processed food my family eats, so a clean-eating lifestyle really works best for us. Luckily there are a million delicious "real food" concoctions just waiting to be cooked or baked, and I find many of my most favorite recipes from one of my favorite clean-eating ladies, Tosca Reno!  This recipe in particular comes from one of my most-loved cookbooks- The Eat-Clean Diet Cookbook (you can also get it via Amazon).  Tosca has put out quite a few books all about clean-eating and we own a lot of them; they're great!





So, today's recipe is from that book!  Happy cooking, and enjoy!


Ingredients:
1 cup dry, old-fashioned oatmeal flakes
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup skim, rice, soy, or almond milk (I used Almond Breeze's unsweetened vanilla almond milk)
2 egg whites, beaten (vegans, you can substitute egg-replacer also- I've tried it and it works well with this recipe)
2 tbsp ground flaxseed
2 tbsp + 1tsp canola oil
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup dried cranberries*
1/4 cup raisins*
1/4 cup dried cherries*

*if possible try to get these from your health food store- "juice sweetened" or unsweetened dried fruit works best. The typical store bought dried cranberries, etc. are loaded with unnecessary sugars.




Directions:
1) Preheat over to 375 degrees. Prepare muffin tin with cupcake liners.

2) Combine oatmeal, applesauce, milk, eggs, flax and oil in a medium bowl.

3) In another medium bowl, combine dry ingredients, including dried fruit.

4) Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour wet ingredients into it. Stir until all ingredients are just combined.

5) Fill muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake 15-20 minutes (I bake mine for about 15-16).  Cool. And enjoy!

I usually like these best after they've cooled and sat for awhile. They are beyond delicious, and healthy too!



Nutrition:
Calories: 120 (this could be cut down by using less dried fruit)
Calories from fat: 31
Protein: 3g
Carbs: 20g
Dietary Fiber: 3g
Sugars: 3g
Fat: 3g 
Sodium: 17mgSource URL: http://sweettattooforgirls.blogspot.com/2011/09/recipe-clean-eating-applesauce-oatmeal.html
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