buttermilk oatmeal cranberry muffins

My cousin Shalimar requested I find a yummy, but healthier muffin recipe - one that her 2 1/2 year old daughter Hazel would think was good. Well I began my search immediately and I think this recipe fits the bill. I like that it uses whole wheat flour, egg whites and applesauce to help "healthify" a traditional muffin. The applesauce keeps the muffins lighter too in spite of the whole wheat flour which tends to make baked goods too dense sometimes. All in all this recipe yielded a very tasty muffin which will be fun to experiment with. And Shalimar, you can always add chocolate chips if Hazel's not too keen on cranberries!

Buttermilk Oatmeal Cranberry Muffins
1 cup old-fashioned oats

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup whole-wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

2 lightly beaten egg whites

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup honey

2 tablespoons butter, melted

2 tablespoons natural, unsweetened apple sauce

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup dried cranberries

1 to 2 tablespoons raw sugar or sanding sugar (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400° F. In a small bowl, combine the oats and buttermilk. Line a muffin tin with 12 cupcake papers.

While the oven preheats and the oats soak, whisk the flour, powder, soda, salt and cinnamon in a medium bowl. In a separate large bowl, combine the egg whites, sugar, honey, butter, apple sauce and vanilla. Fold the oatmeal mixture into the egg white mixture in the large bowl, stirring only until combined. Next, fold the flour mixture into the large bowl, stirring only until combined. Finally, fold in the dried cranberries (optional).

Divide the batter between the 12 lined cups. Sprinkle the tops of the batter with the sugar (optional). Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool slightly in their papers on a rack. Serve warm or allow to cool completely and store in an airtight container.

recipe from www.thekitchensinkrecipes.com